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Kashmir : Forces to be relocated from schools, hospitals

	October 29, 2007

The Army and other security forces on counter-insurgency duties in Jammu and Kashmir are to be pulled out from schools, hospitals and other public places and relocated within the state by November 30. The timeframe for the troops’ selective pullout was set at a meeting, Defence Minister A.K. Antony had with Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in Srinagar on Saturday, Oct. 27.



Defence Secretary Vijay Singh, top commanders of the Army and paramilitary forces and local police heads, besides senior state government officials, took part in the closed-door deliber¬ations. M.L. Kumawat, Special Secretary in the Union Home Minis¬try, Joint Secretary Mitali Sen, the GOC of the Army’s Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lt.Gen. A.S. Sekhon, and his counterpart from the Jammu-based 6 Corps, Lt.Gen. Tej Sapru, as well as senior intel¬ligence officials were present.



Antony was in Srinagar to review the security situation and hold consultations with the local authorities. The visit coinci¬ded with the anniversary of the Indian troops’ arrival in Srina¬gar in 1947 and came hours after the People’s Democratic Party, the Congress’ coalition partner, renewed its threat to walk out of the government unless its demands - including the selective withdrawal of troops - were met.



Official sources said that issues relating to the rehabili¬tation of survivors of the devastating August 11 fire in one of the Army’s major ammunition dumps in Anantnag, vacation of gov¬ernment and private accommodation by the Army and paramilitary forces and revision of rentals for land and orchards were dis¬cussed at the meeting. “It was at the request of the Chief Min¬ister that November 30, 2007 was fixed as the timeline for the vacation of all schools and hospital buildings, besides Kokernag tourist resort and Srinagar’s Nageen Club by the security forces,” an official release said.



The meeting was informed that after the Chief Minister’s meeting with the Defence Minister about two months ago, as many as 72 government buildings - including schools and health insti¬tutions - had been vacated by the security forces in the Kashmir Valley alone. At Saturday’s meeting, the state government identi¬fied some more buildings for early vacation. With regard to compensation for losses to residential houses and crops following the Khundroo incident, the Defence Ministry paid the entire amount of Rs 26.7 crores sought by the state government. The money will be distributed to the victims’ families in a fort¬night, the Chief Minister said.



In yet another significant decision, the Defence Ministry agreed to revise the rentals of the land and orchards under the occupation of the Army. Antony assured Azad that the revisions would be made swiftly after the state government submits its recommendations within 15 days.



The security and human rights situation was also reviewed at the meeting. Senior officers of the Army and the paramilitary forces assured the Defence Minister and the Chief Minister that strict instructions had been given to all levels to respect human rights, and that erring officials would be dealt with according to the law.



PDP divided on pulling out of coalition



The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) appears to be divided over the issue of withdrawing from the ruling coalition with six of its senior MLAs voicing concern over the matter.



There are reports that leaders like former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussein Beg and Ghulam Hasan Mir feel that the opposition would have an edge if the PDP withdraws support to the Azad Government at this time. The two leaders are reported to have met and explored the possibility of floating a new outfit. The two leaders are also reported to be annoyed with what they called lack of democracy in the party and dictatorial attitude of the father-daughter duo of Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti in the decision-making process.



Observers say that an indication of the dissent came when of the total 18 PDP MLAs, half a dozen, all former Cabinet Min¬isters, kept away from the Oct. 17 meeting called by Mufti Sayeed to discuss Congress-PDP relations including possible withdrawal of support.



There are reports that the Congress high command has start¬ed efforts to defuse the crisis in the J & K coalition. State Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was in New Delhi about a week back, discussed the matter with the party’s central leaders. Azad also met party president Sonia Gandhi and Union Home Min¬ister Shivraj Patil to discuss the situation in the state.





Terrorist infrastructure intact : CRPF



The CRPF has said that the terrorist infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir is intact though there has been a slight decrease in the number of violent incidents. CRPF Director General S.I.S. Ahmed told reporters in New Delhi on Oct. 26 that there is no possibility of reduction in CRPF deployment in the state, but indicated that some personnel may be redeployed. He said ter¬rorist outfits have been regrouping in the state and there are indications that they may be planning subversive activities.





Congress may partner National Conference



There are also reports that the Congress may be looking for an alternative alliance partner, the National Conference, in case a split with the People’s Democratic Party becomes inevitable. The thinking in a section of the Congress comprising mostly supporters of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is that the party has a solid base in the Jammu region and with a few seats from the Valley and Ladakh, it can emerge the single largest party in the next elections. The party circles are of the view that the PDP and the National Conference will get far less seats than the Congress which has a base in all three regions of the state. Some leaders in the Congress think that the National Conference will make for a better ally than the PDP. They recall that the Congress-National Conference ties go back to pre-freedom days when Sheikh Abdullah and Jawaharlal Nehru had both a personal and political friendship.





Dussehra celebrated after 20 years



Kashmiri Pandits celebrated Dussehra in the Kashmir Valley after a gap of 20 years on Oct. 21.



The Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (KPSS), an organization of the Kashmiri Pandits, this year restarted the celebration of the popular festival in Kashmir as per the ‘age-old tradition’.



The celebrations were held at the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium in Srinagar.



The Dussehra festival was last held in Kashmir at the Iqbal Park in 1987. The annual festival marks Lord Ram’s victory over Ravan, symbolising the triumph of good over evil.



In a statement, the KPSS said, “We are thankful to the majority community for their support, cooperation and participa¬tion which they are giving us for the past 15 years.” Some Pandit families from Jammu also joined the celebrations in Srina¬gar.





Charar-e-Sharif shrine to reopen after 12 years



The famous Sufi Dargah at Charar-e-Sharif is to be thrown open to devotees next month to offer prayers five times a day. Earlier this month, Id Namaz was offered at the shrine after its reconstruction. The shrine was destroyed in a fire following a gun-battle between terrorists and security forces 12 years ago. Pakistani terrorists headed by Mast Gul, a Major in the ISI, had taken refuge in the shrine. In the gun-battle which followed, many terrorists were killed, but Mast Gul managed to escape.





New Chief Secretary appointed



Senior J&K cadre IAS officer B.R. Kundal has been appointed Chief Secretary of the State. He will take over from C. Phonsog, who retires on Oct. 31. Kundal will be the third chief secretary in succession who belongs to the state.



The Government also appointed Phonsog as adviser to the Government after his superannuation. In addition, senior Con¬gress leader Janak Raj Gupta has been appointed, political advis¬er to the Chief Minister and Manzoor Ganai as Adviser (Public Grievances).