Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 21: The Centre today formally set the process of taking initiative to restore peace and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi meeting top bureaucrats and Security Experts, both serving and retired, to elicit their opinion on evolving consensus to deal with the situation that has been deteriorating and was “not fully under control’’.
The process will continue for a day or so after which the Union Home Ministry was expected to come up with its view point on Jammu and Kashmir that will be placed before Prime Minister Narendra Modi for approval.
“A decision would be taken after discussing the blueprint with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti as the BJP wants to take its ally, PDP on board before announcing certain steps to restore peace and normalcy in the Kashmir valley, which has been shattered for the past quite some time now,” official sources told the Excelsior.
They said several serving and retired bureaucrats, Army, para-military and Intelligence officials, who had either served in Jammu and Kashmir or other troubled zones, today had meetings with the Union Home Minister and Home Secretary separately and shared their views on the Kashmir situation.
In the meantime, the Home Minister has also called a high level meeting on Jammu and Kashmir situation next week, sources said, adding that top officials of Home Ministry, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), Intelligence agencies among others will be present in the meeting.
Pointing out that since some of the officers, both serving and retired, can’t be called to the Home Ministry’s official meeting, sources said that exercise has been undertaken to meet them individually and ascertain their opinion before the Central Government comes out with a firm policy on Kashmir.
It may be mentioned here that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on April 23 in New Delhi to discuss situation prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir and seek certain measures to defuse the unrest that has been going on since July 8 after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen divisional commander Burhan Wani.
Excelsior had exclusively by reported that the Home Ministry has decided to involve Security Experts especially the officers of Army, para-military forces and Intelligence agencies, who have served in Jammu and Kashmir to elicit their opinion on tackling unrest in the Kashmir valley before evolving a policy decision.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already undertaken an extensive exercise with his senior Minister and BJP leaders at the party’s Core Group meeting the other day in which he sought their opinion and the steps the Centre could take to contain unrest in the Valley.
Sources said the Home Ministry has initiated the exercise of involving security experts of various agencies in working out its “Kashmir strategy’’ as the officers had served there for long time and know the situation.
“Experience of the officers is being utilized,’’ sources said but added that the strategy wouldn’t be based entirely on the experiences of security experts but the Centre would fully take political leadership on board before taking any decision related to Kashmir.
Asserting that the Central Government was deeply concerned over developing situation in the Kashmir valley including increase in militancy, infiltration attempts, incidents of stone pelting and new trends of targeting security forces during encounters with the militants leading to escape of the ultras, sources said all aspects of the Kashmir situation were being discussed and debated by the Union Home Secretary and a blue print would be devised very shortly.
According to sources, involvement of security experts has been necessitated as the Government wants to avoid civilian casualties during the protests but, at the same time, ensuring that the militants, who are trapped after very hard efforts and exercised undertaken by security and Intelligence agencies, don’t manage to escape.
“The civilians don’t know how much damage they were causing by gathering at the sites of gunbattle, which could lead to escape of the militants as security forces have been asked to exercise maximum restraint to avert civilian casualties,’’ sources noted.
Sources said the Home Ministry was also seized of the reports which suggested “deep planning” in Pakistan to vitiate the atmosphere in the Kashmir valley and incite insurgents to target local police personnel and their families this summer.
“There has been increased involvement of Pakistan in the unrest in the Kashmir valley,’’ sources said, adding the Centre was taking all steps to block the channels of terror funding, which could also normalize the situation to some extent.
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