Kashmir : Mufti’s term may be extended,Indian Politics, News Analysis, India News Online

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohd. Sayeed is in New Delhi for holding crucial talks to discuss the question of transfer of power in the state. Under the power-sharing deal between the Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party and the Congress, the Mufti has to step down on November 2 after three years in office to pave the way for the Congress to take over the leadership of the coalition Government in the State.

Talking to newspersons after arriving in the national capital, the Mufti said, “We will meet and first talk about the earthquake and relief work.” He said it is important that relief work starts before the snowfall.

Reports say that the Congress is in favour of giving a three-month extension to the Mufti as Chief Minister in view of the October 8 massive earthquake tragedy in the state and the pre-occupation of the administration as well as political parties with the relief and rehabilitation work. But a lot of contradictory statements have been coming from Congress leaders on whether November 2 will mark the change of guard in Jammu and Kashmir or not. Congress general secretary, Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is the prime candidate of the Congress for taking over as Chief Minister, said in Srinagar on October 21 that there was no change in the agreement on power-sharing with the PDP. But the Congress itself clarified later that Azad had been misquoted and that providing relief and rehabilitation in the earthquake hit areas of the state was upper most on the party’s agenda at present. An AICC spokesman said in New Delhi on October 22, “Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh are yet to take a final view on the matter of the upcoming change of guard in Kashmir. They will take an appropriate decision at an appropriate time.” The spokesman added that the issue was under the active consideration of the Congress leadership.

The Mufti, on his part, appears to be not very keen on getting a short extension of his tenure as Chief Minister, but would not mind serving at the head of the administration for the entire six year term of the Assembly. Speaking in Srinagar late last week, he expressed his readiness to step down as Chief Minister in accordance with the power-sharing agreement of 2002. He said that it would be in the interest of the state if the Congress takes a speedy decision in the matter.

If the Congress allows the Mufti to continue as Chief Minister after November 2, it is almost certain that the party will demand that it should be given some key portfolios in the state council of ministers. When the Mufti took over as Chief Minister in 2002, all the key portfolios went to his party while the Congress got minor assignments. This led to Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma say that he had been given a portfolio not fit for a Deputy Chief Minister.

Civil society organisations for Mufti’s continuance

Prominent academics and representatives of civil society organisations have come out in favour of Mufti’s continuance, saying that it would be in the interest of the country and the Congress party itself. In a statement in New Delhi on Saturday, October 22, they said, by continuing with the current arrangement, the Congress would gain credibility.

The statement said : “We believe that the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led People’s Democratic Party (PDP)-Congress coalition in Jammu and Kashmir has revived the people’s faith in democracy and peace in all three regions of the state by effectively combating the politics of violence and terror through its healing touch policy.”

Referring to Sayeed’s readiness to step down as Chief Minister in accordance with the power-sharing agreement, the signatories to the statement were of the view that “India’s national interest would be best served by his continuance as Chief Minister so that he can consolidate the forces of peace, democracy and development that have been set in motion.”

According to them, the PDP, as a regional party, was better positioned to represent the aspirations of the Kashmiri people for autonomy and self-governance, especially at a time when the peace process with Pakistan was on the move. Also, in their opinion, it would be inappropriate to bring about a change of leadership at a point when the State was still to recover from the tragedy and trauma caused by the recent earthquake.

The signatories to the statement include Ashis Nandy and Dhirubhai Sheth of the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, George Verghese of the Centre for Policy Research, Jaiprakash Narain of Loksatta, Jasjit Singh of the Institute of Defence Studies, Madhu Kishwar of Manushi, Human Rights advocate Maja Daruwala, former J & K Chief Secretary Moosa Raza and journalist Pran Chopra.

Militants continue with terror : Minister killed

Showing no respect either for the holy month of Ramazan, or the pre-occupation of the people and the administration with the quake relief operations, militants in the state continue with their campaign of terror.

Armed with AK 47 assault rifles, an improvised explosive device, IED, and hand grenades, they infiltrated into the high security Tulsi Bagh area of Srinagar on Tuesday, October 18, and killed Minister of State for Education Ghulam Nabi Lone. Top CPI(M) leader of the State Mohd. Yusuf Tarigami who lived in a neighbouring house, narrowly escaped when militants threw hand grenades and opened fire indiscriminately at his residence.

There was disbelief and disdain in Srinagar when the news of the terrorist attack came. “Muslims shun violence during Ramazan,” said Farah Yusuf, a doctor. “It is a most dastardly and un-Islamic thing to do. For a people already numbed by the earthquake, the militant attack, and its corresponding promise of new offensives, could not have come at a worse time.”

People in Srinagar were especially shocked because they had let a comfortable thought seep in their system - that the destroyed militant camps in Muzaffarabad would automatically reduce bloodshed. They were encouraged in such a belief after militant leaders across the LoC announced they would suspend terrorist activities keeping in mind the large scale devastation caused by the quake. Violence would hamper relief, they had said grandly.

At the city’s Lal Chowk, Ibrahim Masood, a driver, said people “didn’t need it at this point of time.”

A producer with a local TV company, said, for militants, indoctrinated to carry out a mission, neither Ramazan, nor the quake mattered. But the ease with which the militants breached security at the highly fortified Tulsi Bagh area has led to a host of conspiracy theories.

The attack that took place around 9.15 a.m. itself was not extraordinary apart from the fact that the two fidayeen terrorists came into the highly-fortified Tulsi Bagh compound with remarkable ease. The residential colony in the heart of Srinagar primarily houses Ministers, legislators and senior bureaucrats.

It was an obvious attempt by terrorists, steadily losing ground in the face of peace initiatives by Pakistan and India, to show they are still around. Already unhappy with the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad peace bus, they were uncomfortable with reports lapped up by India that their camps across the border had been damaged in the earthquake.

Centre blames ISI

Indian intelligence agencies have held a section of Pakistan’s Inter-services Intelligence (ISI) responsible for the Minister’s killing. They say that it was an attempt to disrupt rescue and relief operations in the quake-hit Kashmir Valley. The Intelligence Bureau is reported to have conveyed to the Union Home Ministry that some elements in the ISI wanted to disrupt the relief work as the Indian efforts were shining in contrast to what was happening in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

“More than an attempt to mark their presence, the militant groups wanted to disrupt the relief operations on the directions of the Pak intelligence agency. Clearly, some elements in Pakistan are not happy with the magnitude of the relief work being done by Indian agencies in the Valley and want to destabilise it,” a source pointed out.

Even as the intelligence and security agencies confirmed the involvement of Lashkar-e-Taiba in the killing, two other outfits, Al Mansoorian and a lesser known group called Islamic Front claimed responsibility for the incident. Incidentally, Al Mansoorian is a front organisation of the LeT.

The CRPF, responsible for the security of Lone and CPI(M) leader Mohammed Yusuf Tarigami, has ordered an internal probe into the lapses. Meanwhile, Home Minister Shivraj Patil has directed that security for all VIPs and “soft targets” in the Valley be beefed up by deploying additional battalions of the BSF and CRPF. The Ministry has also directed that immediate relief operations in the valley should be completed before winter.

In another terrorist attack, a veteran National Conference leader Syed Ghulam Rasool was killed by gunmen at his residence in Pulwama district. There are reports that militant organisations have been trying to push in as many terrorists as they can into the Kashmir valley from across the Line of Control taking advantage of the unsettled conditions because of the earthquake. Sources say that there may be close to 400 militants lurking around Jammu and Kashmir right now, looking for soft targets.

While about 80 per cent of the militants belong to the Lashkar-e-Taiba, the rest are from Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammad.

There are three crucial factors for the rise in infiltration. First is the fact that 40-50 per cent of the bunkers and posts on the Indian side of the LoC were damaged or turned into rubble. The figure is 70-80 per cent on the Pakistan side. The BSF lost a “lot of posts” in the Uri sector, one of its senior officers said. The second aspect is the empathy factor. Both Pakistan and India are going slow on checks at the border. The third reason could be the indoctrinated feeling among militants that those “martyred” for jehad during Ramazan get a straight ticket to heaven.

There are reports that across the Line of Control in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Kashmiri militants are overlooking the relief work. A report in the New York Times filed by their correspondents in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir says that the most active organisation there is Jamaat-ud-Dawa, an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Though the earthquake killed many militants, the disaster is giving them help in financing and a chance to raise their standing among the people, which they have been quick to capitalise on.

India opens three relief Centres on the LoC

India has informed Pakistan of its proposal to open three relief and medical centres on Indian territory to help earthquake victims living across the Line of Control. The relief centres will be near the Kaman post, close to Aman Setu in the Uri sector, Tithwal near Tangdhar and Chakandabagh in the Poonch sector. These are expected to be operational by October 25, if Pakistan agrees to the proposal. Quake-hit persons from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir can cross over to the Indian side during day time for getting relief and medical help. A Foreign Office spokesperson said on October 22 that Indians would be free to go to the camps to meet their relatives from the other side of the LoC. India would arrange for accommodation for residents from the Pakistani side of the LoC so that they could stay overnight.

The spokesman said genuine residents from the Pakistani side of the LoC would be allowed to come across to the Indian side. Some appropriate screening would be conducted.

Earlier, Chief Minister Sayeed had requested the Centre to identify five points along the LoC to let people on both sides visit their relatives affected by the earthquake. He said in Srinagar on October 21 that opening of the LoC at these points and allowing them to cross over with relief material would be a befitting memorial to the thousands of people who lost their lives in the earthquake on both sides of the LoC.

LoC not to be opened for everybody

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherji has said that Pakistan’s suggestion to open the line of control (LoC) cannot be done for anybody or everybody. But places could be identified from where relief material for the earthquake victims could be moved freely. Speaking in a BBC programme, Mukherjee said, “if it (Islamabad’s proposal) covers those carrying relief material, they can go without obstacles. But it (LoC) cannot be opened for anybody and everybody.”

The Defence Minister said : “Earthquake cannot alter the history of last 50 years and I am putting it very candidly. But it can provide an opportunity by creating an atmosphere where we can provide assistance to the victims and surely, in that condition, better understanding (between India and Pakistan) is possible.”

“But if you expect the quake will reverse the process of the last 50 years, it will be too much to expect.”

Asked about Pakistan’s insistence that IAF helicopters be given to it for relief work sans personnel, Mukherjee said : “We agreed to provide helicopters. But these cannot be provided without pilots.”

No reduction of troops : Army Chief

Meanwhile, Army Chief Gen. J.J. Singh has said that the situation is not conducive yet for any reduction of troops deployed in Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing media persons at the end of senior Army Commanders’ Conference in New Delhi on October 21, he said, “As soon as the situation is conducive and police and civil authorities are able to handle the problem, the Army would be happy to go back to its normal peace time duties.” He said one third of the Army’s 12,00,000 strong force, is being deployed to fight insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir and some north-eastern states.

Gen. Singh said the Army is pursuing a policy of “velvet glove for the people and iron fist for terrorists” in Kashmir. He mentioned building of schools and imparting vocational training to the people as some of the welfare measures undertaken by the Army. He also noted the “spontaneous” relief and rehabilitation operation launched by the Army after the recent killer quake in the state.

To a question, he said that progress in demilitarising the Siachen glacier could be made only if Pakistan agreed to demarcate positions held by both sides. “There must be a documented acceptance of present positions before we can move forward,” he said.

Earlier, inaugurating the conference on October 17, Gen. Singh said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir has improved because of the massive rescue and relief operation carried out by the Army. He also spoke of the increasing success of the counter-insurgency operations in the state. He said for each Army man killed by the militants this year, the Army killed about seven terrorists. He said this is the best ratio achieved since 1994. The Army chief said surgical strikes against terrorists over the last ten months were bearing fruit. Since the quake, the Army had killed 25 militants engaged in infiltration bids while losing two of its troops in Kathua.

Slain militants’ kin to be helped

The Jammu and Kashmir Council for Rehabilitation, set up originally to help victims of militancy, has decided to widen its coverage to include dependents of killed militants. The decision was taken at a meeting of the governing council of the organisation in Srinagar. The Chief Minister chaired the meeting. The Mufti said the state government would fund the council in its efforts to help families affected by militancy. He said killed militants’ orphaned children and widows need education and support.

In another significant decision, the Rehabilitation Centre decided to set up two orphanages at Srinagar and Jammu for the victims of militancy. It also decided to help the recent earthquake victims.

Congress routed in Ladakh council elections

The Ladakh Union Territory Front has won 24 of the 26 seats of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council. The Congress won one seat uncontested. The elections were held on October 16. The Ladakh Union Territory Front has been campaigning for Ladakh to be made a union territory. Mainstream parties of Jammu and Kashmir, including the Congress, the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party have been opposed to the demand. This is the first time since the formation of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Council that the Congress has lost its majority in the body.

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