Cleric instigated people against BSF in Ramban: CM Says reports of Quran desecration were baseless ‘Hurriyat holding secret meetings with agencies’ => Terming the reports of Quran desecration in Gool area of Ramban as baseless, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Sunday said the local cleric had provoked local residents against the BSF which lead to the death of four protesters in the firing by paramilitary forces. Taking a dig at the separatist leadership, Omar said while they are reluctant to talk to New Delhi in open, they hold secret meetings with agencies. “Who provoked people in Ramban has to be seen. Molvi spread rumours that Holy Quran has been desecrated which were baseless. It was that Molvi who provoked people against BSF. Molvi provoked people to attack the BSF camp,” Omar told a local news agency in an interview. Four civilians were killed and over 40 others injured when BSF men opened fire on villagers protesting against the alleged desecration of Quran in Gool, Ramban. About the refusal of separatists to hold talks with Government of India, he said, “In closed rooms they (separatists) meet different people. They talk to people like Ram Jethmalani who come without anything. They (separatists) take tea with agency people in restaurants and five star hotels and hold secret talks. But they don’t want to talk with Centre in open.” He said Government of India was willing to hold talks with separatists and that his government was also ready to facilitate any such process. “Our job is just to facilitate talks between Centre and Hurriyat and we did that. Talks on Kashmir issue had to be carried by Hurriyat people. New Delhi is ready for that but separatists are not. “Center is ready for talks, but with whom they will talk. NC, PDP, Congress and BJP say we will solve the issue within Constitution and they are talking with Center. But those who want to solve it outside Constitution are not ready for talks.” Asked to comment about claims of separatists that New Delhi was not serious on dialogue, Omar said, “Here lie is repeated so many times that people start thinking it is truth. Last time Prime Minister told that they should put their demands in shape of a memorandum. Centre told them to give charter of demands on record which they didn’t.” Terming Centre’s inability to take action against army men involved in Pathribal fake encounter as its weakness, he said,” CBI has found evidences against Army. If they (Centre) want to win the hearts of people of Kashmir they should punish the guilty. People have lost the faith in institutions because of such issues.” “We have challaned all the incidents in the court. We have filed cases and now they are in courts. We have investigated everything. Pathribal happened in 2000 and the case is still in court. I have told them (Centre) if they want to win back Kashmiris they have to do the justice with people,” he added. Asked to comment on his recent statement that some elements within Hurriyat were ready to contest elections, the chief minister said, “What I said is some elements like Sajjad Lone are ready. He contested parliament elections in 2009 also. Others should follow suit. Some separatists are fielding proxies and people know that.” Without naming Jamiat-e-Islami and Syed Ali Geelani, he said, “Their target has always been NC. They help other parties through back channels. They give boycott call on one side and use militants to threaten people and then on the other side ask their people to vote for those parties.” Omar said National Conference talked about Kashmir issue within as well as outside Assembly. “As far as political issues are concerned I think no government in the past might have talked about this issue so clearly.” On revocation of AFSPA, he said, “It is an issue where different people have different ideas. Should I accept defeat only after two years? Should I leave my mission? Those who have been demanding azadi for last 25 years and have failed then they should also accept defeat. In democracy everybody has his own perception. Those who don’t want AFSPA to go highlight Hyderpora like incidents. Then I quote Bandipora and Ramban incidents.” “Army has taken a tight line on AFSPA and we want dialogue on it. Was AFSPA an issue two years back? But now wherever you go people talk about it. Now it has become an issue after we talked about it,” he added. Asked to comment on Sageer Committee report implementation, the Chief Minister said, “It is before CSC and they will see what can be implemented. It has asked for some more time. Different parties have different thinking. Coalition partners have different ideas which can be solved through talks. Political thinking is always different in coalitions.” On the NC’s Autonomy demand, he said, “For autonomy there is a need for a dialogue. Situation is peaceful in the state, but New Delhi is busy with elections now. Kashmir issue isn’t an election issue neither in Pakistan nor in India. If talks will happen it won’t happen before elections.” AFZAL’S EXECUTION Omar said he had warned New Delhi that Afzal Guru’s hanging will have a long term impact in Kashmir. “Situation in valley is more or less peaceful. What is happening in valley this time isn’t related with Afzal Guru. Yes it has an impact on the minds of people of Kashmir. It will have long term effect; how it will has to be seen. But if someone thinks that there will be no impact is wrong.” ‘INFILTRATION ON RISE’ “Nothing has come from Nawaz Sharif government as of now. Only Musharraf had shown some relaxation on Kashmir. It is true Nawaz Sharif has taken some steps for revival of peace process but nothing has changed in Kashmir. Infiltration attempts are on rise,” the CM said. “Indo-Pak friendship is always in the interests of Kashmiris.” ‘MUFTI ERODED J&K’S SPECIAL STATUS’ Asked to comment on PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s recent statement that Omar had eroded sanctity of CM’s chair, he said, “I don’t want to react to it. I don’t take his or his daughter’s statement serious. It is Mufti who is using Raj Bhavan to grab power.” “If there is one person who eroded special status of the state it is Mufti. What he did 1984 and who sent Jagmohan as governor. He begged in 2005 for CM’s chair. Will he give lecture to me? I know what he did to remain in power. He played Women’s Bill to remain in power. Rehabilitation resolution, he defeated in House to remain in power.” On Mufti’s allegation of police and Army highhandedness, Omar said, “Weren’t people dying in Mufti’s tenure. Just two days after he took over as CM, a mason was killed outside his house, an imam and his son were killed, cricket playing children were killed in Handwara and so on. When he sent Jagmohan as governor 50 people used to be killed in a day.” However, the chief minister said, “I don’t say what is happening should happen. But it isn’t new. What was happening earlier has come down. Bandipora was the first incident this year and we won’t allow it to happen in future.” Omar also rejected Mufti’s claims that NC government neglected Srinagar city in the last four and half years. “When he (Mufti) was CM for three years, how much he spent for development of Srinagar. What system he wants to change now. They ignored whole city. I don’t need lectures from such people,” he said. Asked about preparation of his party for next elections, the Chief Minister said, “Election is almost one and half years away. If opposition wants to tire them before elections we have no problem. When we lost elections in 2002 we were still single largest party. Candidate matters in the elections now. We have to work carefully on selecting candidates.” On reports of formation of third front he said, “It is good. It had come in 2008 also. These fronts become after elections. They fight for leader. Who will lead it is a big question,” Omar said. Asked whether NC will enter into coalition with Congress before or after the elections, he said, “Farooq sahib has been authorised by the working committee to take a decision. Congress too has to take a decision. High commands of both the parties will take decision on it.” ‘ASSEMBLY POLLS LIKELY IN OCT-NOV 2014’ Omar ruled out possibility of assembly elections in March-April next year and said the polls would be held in October-November 2014. “We have working season which is summer and we will complete that. We also see who comes to power in center. We will also see what we can do at political and developmental front during that period,” he said. On recent sectarian clashes in Budgam, Omar said, “Some people are behind it. There has been carelessness at the level of administration. We were busy with Gool incident. Lower level administration should have settled the issue,” he added. (KNS)
Posted on: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 03:59:31 +0000
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