NIA Raids On Kashmiri Separatists: Another Evidence Of Centre's 'Iron Fist Policy'?

The NIA raids and the arrest of over 600 political workers across Kashmir are part of the Centre바카라�s latest 바카라�iron fist바카라� policy toward Kashmir after the February 14 suicide attack in Pulwama by a Jaish-e-Muhammad militant in which 40 paramilitary CRPF personnel were killed. 

Accompanied by CRPF personnel, who were in riot gear, the NIA team raided the houses of separatist leaders and started searches. The growing tension over the IAF raid between India and Pakistan didn바카라�t make the government change its policy toward the separatists. 

There is also fear among the mainstream political parties that the Centre shouldn바카라�t do away with Article 35A, that empowers the Jammu and Kashmir legislature to define 바카라�permanent resident바카라� of the state.

 바카라�If it happens then the Centre will see what it has not seen in Kashmir from 1947 to till date,바카라� former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has warned. Another former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that elections should be held in the state and decisions about these constitutional matters left to the elected government. 바카라�Hold elections in the State and leave the decision about Article 35A to the elected government,바카라� he said. 

The police maintain the government intends to keep the separatist leaders in custody for long and the NIA raids were being conducted to collect further material evidence against them. 

The government toughened its stand against the separatists and mainstream political parties after the Feb 14 attack, and as a first step announced the withdrawal of security from around 155 protected persons of the state. Though the government claimed it has withdrawn security from pro-independence Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and hardline Hurriyat Conference Chairman Syed Ali Geelani, the two separatists were not having any security. Geelani has remained under house arrest for long periods since 2010. The government has ensured that the separatists leaders remain 바카라�out of circulation바카라� by detaining them frequently and putting restrictions on their movement. 

Malik, who remains in police custody off and on, said he never had any security cover. He said he was offered security many a times but he always refused it. Geelani also said he had no security cover. Moderate separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said it was the government which had insisted that he have the security cover. 바카라�It was always the government which would insist that we keep security cover based on certain threat perception. It was the government바카라�s decision to have security that time, and now it is the government바카라�s decision to take it away. We in the first place never wanted it,바카라� he said. 

The government also withdrew security from Hurriyat leaders of the moderate faction, Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat, Bilal Gani Lone and Abbas Ansari. While a number of people have volunteered to protect Mirwaiz, police officials say it wouldn바카라�t be of any help. 바카라�Mirwaiz was given security because of the threat perception. His father was assassinated by the militants. He himself was engaged in talks at the Prime Ministerial level and now all of a sudden you cannot say he has no threat,바카라� a police official said. 

On May 21, 1990, unidentified gunmen barged into the downtown Srinagar residence of Mirwaiz Maulvi Mohammad Farooq-- the father of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq -- and assassinated him. Later, scores of people were killed when CRPF personnel fired upon his funeral procession near Islamia College in Srinagar. Human rights groups say around 60 people were killed in the firing and hundreds of others sustained injuries. Hurriyat Conference leader Abdul Gani Lone, father of Sajad Gani Lone and Bilal Lone, was killed on May 21,  2002. He was killed by unidentified assailants at a rally to mark the death anniversary of Mirwaiz Maulvi Mohammad Farooq at Eidgah ground in old Srinagar city. The leader was fired upon seconds before the ceremony was to end. 

In 2003 Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, Abdul Gani Lone, Moulna Abbas Ansari and Fazal Haq  Qurashi entered into dialogue with the Central government, while Geelani took a hawkish stance, and the Hurriyat bifurcated into hardliners and moderates over the dialogue. 

Moderates led by Mirwaiz in January 2004, held talks with the then Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani in New Delhi. Later on September 6, 2005, and on May 3, 2006 the moderate Hurriyat Conference held talks with then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the UPA-I. However, the third round of talks did not take off between the Hurriyat and New Delhi, as the Hurriyat said that 바카라�promises바카라� of the confidence building measures (CBM) implementation were not fulfilled. 

Peoples Conference leader Sajad Gani Lone explained what the danger could be, when he said that the government reduced security of his father, Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone in 2002. And after some months, 바카라�I received the body of my father in my house.바카라� 바카라�I am not in a position to defend this decision. If I didn바카라�t have security, I wouldn바카라�t have fought elections. I wouldn바카라�t have lived to fight elections,바카라� Lone said. He said there is no justification for it.

바카라�My father was killed. Mirwaiz바카라�s sahab바카라�s father was killed. Someone will take advantage of this step (removal of security),바카라� he warned, and called for review of the decision. He said security was given as the government knew they had a threat from the other side. 바카라�My morality demands I cannot support it,바카라� he added.

Taking security away from the separatist leaders is being seen as dangerous in already volatile Kashmir. 바카라�We reviewed the security of all these people only last year based on the threat perception, and this year without any thought we are removing their security. No reason was cited for the same,바카라� said a senior police official. 

Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, PDP youth leader, who faces militant threat, had 10 security guards for the past four years. However, the government removed his security, and also of IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal without citing any reason. 바카라�I have been praised by the Union Home Minister for promoting young talent in Kashmir and working among the youths,바카라� he said. 

바카라�Now where will we go. My vehicle was taken away, my security guards have been taken away,바카라� said Waheed. 바카라�Much before withdrawing security they first announced it to the whole world, and thus they gave the message to all those who want to hit us,바카라� Parra said. 바카라�We are at the mercy of others now,바카라� he said.  Shah Faesal has termed it a very bad decision. 

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said his concern goes beyond the withdrawal of security of separatists. 바카라�My concern is about the withdrawal of security to the mainstream political operatives. On the one hand you are telling us you have to be prepared for the elections and on the other hand you are telling us we no longer deserve the protection of the state,바카라� he said. He said the withdrawal of security of Shah Faesal or of anyone from the PDP and other mainstream parties will hamper their mobility. 바카라�I believe withdrawal of security to mainstream leaders and the office bearers is a hugely regressive step,바카라� he said and asked the Governor바카라�s administration to revisit the step.   

The police and paramilitary forces have launched a crackdown on Jamaat-e-Islami, a social political organisation. Jamaat-e-Islami said nearly 300 of its workers were arrested in the midnight raids that started on February 22. The police also arrested Jamaat Islami president Dr. Abdul Hameed Fayaz. 

바카라�My 70-year-old father was taken from his house in the midnight. Next day I went to see him at the police station. The police have not charged him with anything. I think they are all in pre-preventive custody and that is why there is no charge against him,바카라� said a lawyer.

Police sources say they don바카라�t know why the arrests are being made. 바카라�The whole thing is being handled from the Centre and we only obey orders,바카라� said a police official. 바카라�I think till elections are over they will remain in custody,바카라� he added.