Fresh clashes erupt between irate crowds and security forces in Srinagar’s Batamallo area. (Photo: H.U. Naqash)
Fresh clashes erupt between irate crowds and security forces in Srinagar’s Batamallo area. (Photo: H.U. Naqash)
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Sunday made a passionate appeal to the Hurriyat Conference, other separatists and mainstream opposition parties to supplement its efforts aimed at restoring peace and normalcy.
This came amid seething anger in the Kashmir Valley where about twenty protesters have been killed in security forces’ firing and other actions during the past two days following the killing of Burhan Muzaffar Wani, the new-age poster boy of militancy, in an encounter with troops. The state Cabinet held an emergency meeting here with chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti, in chair to discuss the alarming situation.
Director-general of police K. Rajendra Kumar briefed the meeting on the prevailing ground situation. Mr Kumar was away on a private visit to hometown, Hyderabad but rushed back to Srinagar to oversee the law and order situation after a phone call from the chief minister.
Minister for education and chief spokesman of the PDP-BJP government, Naeem Akhtar, while briefing reporters on the meeting said, “The Cabinet appealed to all political forces who have expressed concern for people’s lives be it National Conference, Congress, CPI (M) or other components of the mainstream or those people who are not in the mainstream...those who are really concerned as much as we are concerned, which includes leaders from the Hurriyat... We appeal to them that if they want peace in the state and steps taken by the government for saving the lives of people to succeed, then we need their support also.
The Cabinet expressed deep grief and anguish over the loss of precious human lives during the prevailing law and order situation in Kashmir Valley and called upon various shades of political opinion, who have expressed concern for people’s lives, to help restore calm,’’ he said.
“Violence has neither served any purpose in the past nor is it going to do so in the prevailing circumstances,’’ he reiterated. Mr Akhtar said the Cabinet also urged civil society and parents to counsel youth against indulging in violent protests and targeting public and private property and police and security forces installations. “The parents of young children also have a responsibility to keep an eye on their wards,” he said adding, “If you see the footages, you see small kids who do not know why but have stones in their hands.”
He said the Cabinet also asked the police and the security forces to exercise restraint to prevent loss of human lives as any fatal retaliatory action only leads to a vicious cycle of death and destruction. He said the complaints of disproportionate use of force are being looked into to restore public confidence in the law and order setup. He said while the loss of property can be compensated, the loss of lives cannot be compensated.
Mr Akhtar said the government is seized of its responsibilities. He said it was resolved in the Cabinet meeting that all steps will be taken for ensuring the safety of life and property of the people. He cautioned the people, especially youth, against what he alleged are the machinations of forces who want to add fuel to the fire for their vested political interests.
He said there were a number of attacks on police stations and security forces’ camps which forced law enforcement agencies to retaliate.
“I urge the youth not take protests to a level where the forces are compelled to use their weapons in retaliation,” he said.
He said if any of the injured requires to be taken out of the state for treatment, the state government will bear the expenses.
Mr Akhtar said the Cabinet was apprised about adequate supply of drugs and other requirements at hospitals. It was also decided that any injured person, requiring treatment outside the state, shall be provided such facility by the government. The Cabinet, he said, also desired to request different airlines to provide additional flights for taking out the stranded tourists. The Cabinet informed efforts are being made to resume the Amarnath Yatra.
Asked if the Mehbooba Mufti government will quit as her party PDP, when in opposition, had made a similar demand to the Omar Abdullah government during the 2010 summer unrest in the Valley that left 120 persons dead, he left the press conference venue.
