Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 21: Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh today charged that Independent MLA Engineer Sheikh Rashid, who had hosted beef party in Srinagar followed by his thrashing inside the Assembly and blackening of face in New Delhi, was being instigated by Pakistan, which is trying to destabilize first ever PDP-BJP Government in Jammu and Kashmir by communalizing the situation.
Speaking at a function at Paloura Headquarters of the BSF on Police Commemoration Day, Dr Singh charged Pakistan with directly interfering into internal affairs of the country by calling Rashid for a meeting at its New Delhi High Commission office.
He said there was an attempt to politicize the October 9 petrol bomb attack on a Kashmir-based truck in Udhampur and hailed the people of Valley for maintaining peace despite the incident in which one Kashmiri was killed and another injured.
Dr Singh asserted that Udhampur-like targeting of innocent people will not be tolerated and those guilty in this case will not be allowed to go scot free.
“He (Engineer Rashid) is being instigated by Pakistan. It definitely is indication of that Pakistan is directly interfering into internal affairs of our country. Pakistan is communalizing the situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” the Deputy CM said.
He was responding when a reporter asked whether Pakistan was instigating people in J&K as its Foreign Minister had reportedly called up Rashid.
“It is interference in internal matters of the country as he (Rashid) is the person who has engaged in all such activities,” Dr Singh said about the legislator who had triggered a controversy by hosting a beef party at MLA’s hostel last month and earlier this week raked up the petrol bomb attack by addressing a press conference in Delhi.
“Pakistan is trying to provoke every situation in J&K and they are always out to exploit the situation here,” the Deputy Chief Minister said and asked: “the way it is interfering in internal matters of Kashmir, what it will do if the Government of India raises the issue of Baluchistan, Sindh and NorthWest Frontier Province (NWFP)?”
On the present situation in Kashmir valley, he said there is a reaction due to the recent incident “but the situation is under control. I want to pat people of Kashmir in particular and people of Jammu in general for maintaining patience inspite of the situation that developed following the incident.”
He said that, “Some people tried to politicize the issue but people maintained calm, particularly the people of Kashmir. They have done the best… The (Udhampur) incident that has taken place, nobody is going to approve that but the common interest is to maintain the peace.”
“We do not interfere into that (Baluchistan, Sindh and NWFP). We want Pakistan to remain united. They should fight the monster of terrorism which they have produced in their own country. There is no threat to them from India,” the Deputy CM said.
“I want to say that Pakistan should desist from its action. The way it is always violating sanctity of the borders and trying to foment trouble (disturbances in Jammu and Kashmir),” Dr Singh said.
He said Pakistan is trying to push in militants into India. “We are proud of our Army and BSF troops that they are foiling their designs by sacrificing their lives. They are not only stopping them from their terror acts but also eliminating them,” he added.
“Pakistan should understand that such machinations do not work. They should live in peace and normalcy. India wants peace and Pakistan also should make efforts to make peace which is in the interest of people of both the nations but Pakistan is not stopping it”, he added.
On the issue of increase in extremism in the State and whether Pakistan has a role in this, Dr Singh said Pakistan has not been able to digest the fact that BJP Government was formed at the Centre and the way BJP-PDP Government was constituted in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Pakistan has been exposed in the entire world by the way people voted by 60-70 per cent to empower democracy in the State and formed BJP-PDP Government. It was leveling allegations that there is no democracy in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
He said Pakistan’s ISI and Army keep trying to exploit the untoward incidents in Jammu and Kashmir to “communalize the situation”.
“Repeated attempts are made from border to in-depth areas and Army, BSF and police foil their attempts and good number of terrorists have been eliminated. Those who are successful in their infiltration bids were caught alive and Pakistan has been further exposed in the world,” Dr Singh said.
He congratulated Army, BSF and police force for this.
In reply to a question about the possibility of BJP severing ties with the PDP as demanded by Shiv Sena, the Deputy CM said a decision regarding this has to be taken by BJP’s Central leadership.
On the question of Pakistan’s threat that it is preparing nuclear bombs, he said that Pakistan is trying to deflect the attention from its internal disturbances and leveling allegations against India. “We do not fear nuclear bombs. It is in the interest of both the nations that we should live in peace,” he said.
Referring to the remarks of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee that friends can be changed but not neighbours, Dr Singh said that we should follow his statement.
Meanwhile, asserting that Pakistan has not dismantled terror infrastructure which was still intact across the border, the BSF today said it was closely monitoring the movement along Jammu frontier.
“The terror infrastructure is intact across the border. That has not been dismantled. We are carefully examining every activity across the border line and will take appropriate action whatever action is required to be taken (to foil any such activity from across),” Inspector General BSF, Jammu Frontier, Rakesh Sharma told reporters here today.
IG Sharma was replying to a question about cross-border activities along border and situation along the International Border (IB) since the Director General-level talks between the Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers last month.
“As the reports indicate terrorists are still active and available on the launching pads across in Pakistan,” he added.
“We do not lower our guards. We keep a very close watch on the activities across the border and surveillance is kept throughout the day and night. Infiltration can be attempted any time by the people across and we are prepared to foil them,” he added.
Sharma said 60 to 70 terrorists are getting training across the International Border in training camps.
“As per our inputs, around 60 to 70 terrorists are getting training in the camps across International Border along Jammu region,” he said.
“But we are alert and vigilant and troops can foil any attempt from across the border,” he asserted.
“After the talks between DGs of BSF and Pakistan Rangers in New Delhi from September 9-12 this year, there is peace on the borders. There is no extra movement that would concern us,” the IG said.
“As I said, we will not take anything lightly as far as border security is concern. We have not decreased the day and night monitoring along the border line,” he said, adding that there are clear cut directions to the troops to maintain alertness.
Replying to a question whether there was any infiltration bid after DG-level talks, IG Sharma said, “after DG level talks, there was one report of suspected movement of militants close to border and we have lodged a strong protest with Pakistan Rangers.”
Further talking about preparations for the winter, he said as it gets cold the passes get closed due to heavy snowfall and the troops immediately shift to winter posture. “There are certain actions which we take and adequately beef up the strength and surveillance and also increasing the patrolling activities in the gaps,” he added.
“We have already planned winter posture and it is almost in place now. When the winter sets in it will be in place. Not only that the festival seasons that is going on in Jammu we have already beefed up security in Jammu and around it. Manpower has also been increased,” IG Sharma said.
Replying to another question about reports of some militants hiding in the Hiranagar sector and learning Gurmukhi, he said, “such inputs are there. These inputs are with us also. BSF and other sister agencies in the security set up are looking at it.”
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