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Kashmir : Attack on Ragunath temple

	November 25, 2002

Mufti Government’s liberal policy to appease and win the confidence of Islamic fundamentalists in Jammu and Kashmir, suffered a severe blow last week when terrorists carried out yet another suicide attack on Raghunath Temple in Jammu on November 24.

According to reports, terrorists first started firing indiscriminately in the crowded Hari Market near the temple and then entered into the temple complex at about 7 p.m. Security forces who rushed to the spot, cordoned off the temple area and fierce battle was going on till late in the evening. At least five to tex people are feared killed in the firing.

This was second attack on the 150 year old Raghunath temple, the first being in March this year when ten pilgrims lost their lives.

The ruling BJP leadership at the Centre has condemned the attack and blamed PDP-Congress Government for adopting liberal policy towards terrorists.

A CRPF camp was attacked and later on November 23, an army bus was targeted resulting in heavy casualties. Twelve people, including two children, were killed and 23 injured when suspected Hizb militants blew up a passenger bus carrying army personnel and their families on the Srinagar-Jammu highway. This could result in the Centre and the State government reviewing the policy of freeing detenus. According to sources, the release of a senior Lashker-e-Taiba operative from jail in Pakistan could also be a reason for the attacks. Though the State government and the security forces did not agree to a ceasefire during the holy month of Ramzan, there has been a relaxation in frisking and other preventive measures.

Earlier, two militants of the Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) carried out a major fidayeen strike on a CRPF camp in the heart of Srinagar on Nov 21, killing six jawans and injuring 10 before being shot dead.

The LeT claimed responsibility for the suicide attack. Chief spokesman of the outfit, Abu Huzaifa, disclosed to two local news agencies in Srinagar, that two of its men, who carried out the attack, were killed in the operation. The LeT spokesman also claimed that two other attackers returned along with two looted weapons from the CRPF camp.

The attack came a day after the newly-elected state assembly began its session with a call by the PDP-Congress coalition government to the Centre to initiate unconditional dialogue with MLAs and members of all sections of the society to restore peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

On the political front, the Mufti Government has sought an economic package from the Centre. There are convulsions in the All Party Hurriyat Conference and the Centre is watching the situation even as the Chief Minister makes plans for the promised “healing touch” and also seek a hefty economic package for Jammu and Kashmir. To counter charges that he was only bothered about the Valley, Mufti has also decided to give more powers to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council. Two MLAs from the Ladakh district are part of the coalition government.



“Parallel Hurriyat” report not confirmed

A large group of “militants” arrived at the Jammu press club last week , addressed a press conference announcing a new alliance to replace the Hurriyat and then disappeared. Later, the police sounded a red alert in the city, claiming they had no knowledge of their presence. The reaction from the Hizbul Mujahideen in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was swift. Spokesman Saleem Hashmi told The Indian Express on phone from Muzaffarabad that the entire incident was a “drama enacted by Indian intelligence agencies” and hosted by Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. “There is an alliance of mujahideen called Jehad Council and it exists on the ground. Our supreme commander, Syed Salahuddin, is also the head of this amalgam. We have nothing to do with this development,” he said.

Those who were present at the Press conference in Jammu claimed to be members of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Al-Jehad, Hizbul Momnin, Paswane Islam, Hizbullah, Al-Umar and JKLF. The rest were said to be activists of 13 overground Islamic organisations.

The men were carrying briefcases and wearing formal clothes and could have been mistaken for businessmen. “We have formed the J&K Shuja-ut-Alliance which means a group of brave men. Our organisation is an alternative to the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) that has now become outdated and lost its importance.” They virtually announced an end to the violence. “We feel the gun has completed its work and now the time has come when a sincere effort should be made to solve the Kashmir problem through dialogue, which the APHC has failed to do,” they said. “We also commend Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed for his positive approach towards militants. If he agrees to some of our conditions, we will support him in our way to restore peace in J&K,” they added.

Shoukat Hussain, who identified himself as Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) commander in Srinagar district, said he was fed up with the APHC and Yasin Malik’s policies. “I have joined the Shuja-ut-Alliance along with 150 JKLF men,” he claimed. JeM’s `district commander’ of Rajouri, Manhas Askari of Manjakote, proclaimed that the gun was no solution to any problem. The others, who claimed to be HM’s section commander Altaf, Al-Jehad’s section commander Mohammad Yousaf Sofi code Khalid Khan, Hizbul Momnin’s district commander Ali Mohammad, Paswane Islam’s district commander Zahoor Ahmad Mir, Hizbullah’s company commander Mohammad Yasin, Al Umar’s company commander Mohammad Afzal Sazgiri and Haq-ul-Mobin’s Chairman Riaz Hussain, supported his views. Nissahe Markaz’s chairman Gulji wasalso present.

Slamming this development, Hizbul spokesman Hashmi said it was a step towards the creation of another counter-insurgent group like Ikhwan in Kashmir. “It is aimed at de-railing the freedom movement in Kashmir,” he said. “If such a big announcement was to be made, then some known face among Mujahideen leaders would have done it. Nobody knows who this Sabazwari is.”



Talks with Kashmir Committee

Meanwhile, Hurriyat leader and JKLF chairman Yasin Malik stood isolated as the 23-party amalgam decided to continue talks with the Kashmir Committee, led by former Law Minister Ram Jethmalani, despite strong opposition from Malik. Malik, who is a member of the Hurriyat’s executive body, walked out of its meeting midway after his disagreement with other members of the separatist conglomerate, amalgam sources revealed.

The sources said the seven-member Hurriyat executive held extensive deliberations on whether to continue dialogue with the Kashmir Committee in the wake of Malik’s charges that Jethmalani was adopting double standards. The Hurriyat executive council, barring Malik, favoured continuing talks with the Kashmir Committee, leading to a walk-out by the JKLF chairman. The JKLF chairman suspected “ulterior motives” of the Kashmir Committee.

The Kashmir Committee held its third round of talks with separatist groups and termed the “movement for independence” in Kashmir an irrelevant concept. It asked the government and the separatists to shun extreme positions to solve the problem.

“Who has snatched your azadi (freedom) ? You need azadi from injustice and oppression. The concept of independence has become obsolete and irrelevant today. Basically, we have to understand who are they (separatists) fighting against,” Kashmir Committee convener Ram Jethmalani said before a meeting with Democratic Freedom Party president Shabir Ahmad Shah.

The meeting remained inconclusive even as Shah said they are holding another round of talks and would issue a joint statement.

All Hurriyat Conference members, except Yasin Malik, attended the meeting. Malik, addressed a huge gathering at Kulgam town after Friday prayers. He asked the people to continue their struggle for freedom. Asked about Malik’s refusal to talk, Jethmalani said: “His imprisonment has had an effect on his thinking. He will come to terms when he sees the ground reality.” He said those who are not accepting reality are not doing good and he will continue to argue with them to solve the problem.