Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Oct 21: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that India can’t tolerate the ceasefire violations by Pakistan and has to respond with force if they continue firing along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB).
While addressing policemen at Zeewan Headquarters of the Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police on the Police Commemoration Day here, the Chief Minister said that Prime Ministers of the two countries discussed the issue of the ceasefire violations at New York recently and despite that Pakistan is violating it. “I fail to understand whether the Pakistan Prime Minister has a hand in it or he is not in control of the situation there”, he added.
Omar said: “…this cannot be a one sided affair. It cannot be a situation where we are at the receiving end and no response is given. I think our Prime Minister was very forthright in putting across India’s concerns in New York. A mechanism had been worked out whereby the DGMOs of both countries would meet to discuss cooling of the LoC and IB.”
He said that despite the meeting at the top level, Pakistan continues to violate the ceasefire and India can’t tolerate it. “…obviously Government of India will have to look at responding in kind. If they violate the ceasefire, we won’t respond by words only. We will have to find some other options. If our people living along the borders are being targeted, we also know how to respond in kind but so far we do not want to do it. We do not want that common people face the problems but continued ceasefire violations will not be tolerated.”
“If the violations continue, we are capable of responding with force. We will not tolerate it. They have been targeting our villages in Samba, Ranbir Singh Pura and Akhnoor. People are abandoning their fields, homes and the schools are closed in these areas,” Omar said.
The Chief Minister said that the forces who are trying to destroy the lives of people living close to the border must be defeated. “We will ensure to ease the difficulties faced by the people of these villages till they are able to return to their homes,” he said.
Omar said a team of Ministers is visiting today to the places where the displaced villagers have taken shelter. “We are putting in place a Contingency Plan so that these people don’t suffer because of the ceasefire violations. I want to assure the people living in areas affected by cross -LoC shelling that the State Government will take all measures needed for making their day to day lives easier”, he said.
On Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s demand for US mediation on Kashmir, Chief Minister said: “I think in this instance, the Pakistan Prime Minister is guilty of playing to his home audience.”
Omar said that India will not accept any foreign interference in Jammu and Kashmir and the two countries have also agreed on this. “Decades back when the Shimla Agreement was signed, this basic principle was accepted by both the countries to give up the third party mediation on Kashmir. For some reason, Pakistan wants to forget those aspects of these agreements that do not suit it. This is one, the violation of ceasefire”, he added.
Chief Minister said that despite the successes achieved against the militants for past over two decades, the Jammu and Kashmir Police and other security forces would have to stand on guard as militancy is still not over. “If militancy had been over, things would have been different. We should not give any chance to them to succeed by our mistakes,” he said.
“We will have to be vigilant and not let down the guard. Militancy has not ended in the State yet. If that were the case, the situation would have been different”, said Omar.
He said that there are still remnants of militancy present in the State which need to be given a strong response. “There is still some effect and influence present and to finish it off, it is our duty that we do not give them even one chance of success. Wherever the militants attack, they have to be dealt with an iron fist,” he said.
Omar said there has been substantial success in tackling militancy in the State and it seems that we will be able to see its end. He said that these successes were possible with the sacrifices given by the police, para-military forces and the Army. “It is because of these sacrifices that we are seeing normalcy returning the State”, he added.
He said militant strikes against the Army and other security forces were due to procedural lapses as the Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) were not followed. “In all the incidents in which security forces were targeted this year, there was a minor or major lapse and the militants took advantage of that. I am not just referring to Hiranagar and Samba incidents. I am referring to all the incidents in which the militants have got the better of the security forces,” he said.
“I believe at some point of time there has been relaxation of the SOPs that were put in place. Had the SOPs been followed, I believe these incidents would not have taken place. I think it is important that the SOPs be followed and these militants be denied an opportunity to have successes like these,” Omar said.
He lauded sacrifices of the police men who laid down their lives.
“They have sacrificed their today for our tomorrow. We want to assure the families of the martyrs that we are with them,” he said.
The Chief Minister said police had played an important role in breaking the back of militancy in the State, which was the reason that they are targeting them. “Without J&K police no operation is being conducted in the State and they play a vital role in intelligence gathering”, he added.
Omar said that militants can’t break the morale of the Jammu and Kashmir police by their attacks. “…they do not know, the more they attack us, our morale gets higher to defeat them. We have not given these sacrifices for nothing. We will ensure that these sacrifices will not go waste”, he said.
Chief Minister said that this year there were more militant attacks on Jammu and Kashmir Police, CRPF and Army.
Omar said that the commemoration of Police and Paramilitary forces on October 21 reminds us of their bravery, commitment, patriotism and sacrifice. “I pay my rich tributes to them for giving their precious lives for the cause of the people and the Nation. I also express my solidarity with their families” he added.
Omar said any step that will reduce communal violence is a good thing but the implications of the proposed Communal Violence Bill on the State has to be discussed before his party, National Conference, takes any decision.
“I cannot talk about it here. My party will discuss it (Communal and Targeted Violence Bill). Any step that will reduce the communal violence is a good thing,” Omar told reporters here.
Omar, who is also the working president of the National Conference, an ally of Congress both at the Centre and in the State, was responding to a question on his party’s stand on the Communal Violence Bill, which is likely to be brought in the Parliament during the winter session.
The Chief Minister said his party will have to discuss the impact of the bill on Jammu and Kashmir in view of its special status in the constitution of the country.
“What effect it will have on Jammu and Kashmir keeping in view the special status of the State, what will be the role of our party and role of the coalition (partners), it needs to be discussed,” he said.
The Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill, which aims to protect minorities from targeted attack, has been opposed by some States as it envisages empowering the central government to send central forces unilaterally in case of communal disturbances.
Earlier Director General of Police, Ashok Prasad, while addressing the policemen on the occasion said that situation in the State was brought under control and confidence of people was restored by the sacrifices of the security forces during past 23 years of militancy. He said that for this Jammu and Kashmir police and other security forces fought bravely.
Prasad said that 5,304 security personnel including 924 policemen, 474 SPOs and 131 others scarified their lives in past 23 years. He said that this year 576 police and para-military forces scarified their lives across country including 21 police and para-military men in the State.
The DGP said that Rs 19 crore were spent this year for the welfare of police families including Rs 12.14 crore for the martyrs families.
Chief Minister, Agriculture Minister, Ghulam Hassan Mir, MLA Javed Mustafa and top police officials offered floral tributes at the police memorial on the occasion. Chief Minister also took salute at the march past.
Chief Secretary, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, senior civil and police officers, family members of police men and others were present on the occasion.
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