Mayawati counters charges of Kashmiri Politicians

KS Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 31: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati categorically rejected the J&K government’s claim that the three Kashmiri students arrested under POTA by her government were innocent. She told press persons in Jammu today, “the Kashmiri students were arrested on the basis of substantial evidence and facts received against them by my administration”. The UP chief minister said the arrests were justified. She asserted, “whatever my administration did was done legally and on the basis of proofs. Even in future, such cases and elements in UP would be dealt with harshly.” Earlier she had refused to meet Mehbooba Mufti in Lucknow, when the latter had come to persuade UP government to adopt a soft policy against the arrested students.

Ms Mayawati went on to criticize Mufti government for releasing militants and political prisoners and for withdrawing POTA. She said, “I don’t agree with these policies of J&K government. Militants should be dealt with severe force and I think that would be in the favour of national interest”. She appreciated campaign launched by her police against anti-national elements.

Reacting to the allegations of Kashmiri politicians on the students issue, the UP Chief Minister replied, “this is purely a malicious campaign against UP government. Those who have leveled such allegations were not aware of the realities. Arrests were made only after getting authentic proof. She added, “I have directed the state police officials to launch an effective campaign against anti-national elements without fear or prejudice, irrespective of their caste, creed or religion. A terrorist neither belongs to any religion nor to any community. He should be dealt with severely rather than adopting soft approach towards him”.

Similar views were expressed earlier when Mr Narinder Kashyap, senior BSP leader and member of UP Upper House visited Jammu on March 21. He strongly refuted the allegations that UP police has been harassing the innocent Kashmiri students studying in different colleges and universities of the state. He asserted, "UP police has specific information and proofs regarding involvement of some Kashmiri students in anti-national activities." Following these inputs police conducted raids at various places and arrested three Kashmiri students, he added. He said "Arrests of Kashmiri youth were made neither as a conspiracy nor to harass a particular section" and made it amply clear that it was purely a matter related to the anti-national activities.

Jaish activist killed :

It may be recalled that on March 10, Special Task Force of UP had arrested Ejaz Hussain Jan of Baramulla and Mehraj Hassan of Kupwara from Muzaffar Nagar Bus Stand. The STF claimed the two Kashmiri students were activists of dread terrorist outfit, Jaish-e-Mohammed who were planning disruptive activities in Delhi. Anti-terrorist law POTA was slapped on these arrested youth. One more Kashmiri youth was arrested from Ghaziabad. The two, STF said, were working for Manzur Dar, area commander of Jaish-e-Mohammed in Baramulla. Their interrogation led the police to Dar's "attempts to set up bases in Hapur and Shamli in western UP, where other Jaish militants could come and stay". The Parliament building, India Gate, Mumbai Stock Exchange and busy market places elsewhere were, as per STF, on the hit list of Dar.

Following a tip of that Dar would be meeting an associate near bus stop at Noida, the STF laid a trap for him. The accomplice of Dar, Mohammad Aslam was already waiting at bus stop. The five teams of STF and local police confronted the duo and asked them to prove their identification. They started to flee on the motorcycle and engaged police in an encounter. The police retaliated and Dar was hit. The other terrorist managed to escape. The police had been on Dar's trail for the last four months.

The interrogation of the two students revealed that at Ghazi Baba's instruction, Dar was giving final touches to subversive attacks in Delhi and Mumbai. Dar had met students in Shamli in September 2002 and had also paid Rs 34,000 to Ejaz. One of the students was in Muzaffar Nagar since 1996, while the other came in 1998 to RK Degree College, Shamli. Subsequent to interrogation of Ejaz Hasan and Mehraj Hassan, STF arrested two more Kashmiri youths, Sajad and Ittafakuz, students of RK postgraduate college in Simbhawali, Ghaziabad. The police recovered maps and diaries from these students. Five cartridges and 8.5 kg of RDX were also recovered from them.

Following startling revelations, the district administration took a number of precautionary steps. These included mandatory character verification for Kashmiri students who opted to take houses on rent. Police have identified nearly 250 Kashmiri students studying in 11 schools and colleges of the Meerut and Saharanpur region. Among these, the activities of 30 students are said to be suspect.

Politicisation:

The J&K government and Kashmiri political leaders reacted by raising allegations of harassment of Kashmiri students. The Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said it was a matter of concern if they would continue to face harassment. The J&K Resident Commissioner in New Delhi also took up the matter with Divisional Commissioners of Meerut and Saharanpur. Mehbooba Mufti, PDP leader said, "As a Kashmiri, it is our duty to protect our youth. Being a Kashmiri does not mean that one is a militant". Mr Omar Abdullah, NC leader and MP sought immediate intervention of Mr. L.K. Advani. In a statement he said, "I seek the help of your office to end the discrimination against Kashmiri students. The message to the Valley is not good and this could snowball into a major controversy, if not checked immediately. Any wrong move can lead the entire nation into a problem". Omar demanded handing over the case to the state government saying the state police would be in a better position to find their antecedents and verify whether they had any such alleged links. Intriguingly, the Valley's media had been trying to give a communal slant to the issue and even planting reports that the state police had no report of involvement of the arrested students in subversive activities.

Subsequently Ms Mehbooba Mufti met the students in Muzaffar Nagar. The UP Chief Minister refused to meet her. She later called on Deputy Prime Minister, Mr LK Advani. On March 23, Meerut District Judge PN Rai sent three students to judicial custody for two months.

In a related development, a Mumbai court sentenced four Kashmiris, belonging to terrorist outfit, Hizbul Mujahideen to life imprisonment on the charges of planning to carry out attacks in Mumbai. The local media in Valley in this case also has been planting stories to prove the innocence of the convicted terrorists. Politicisation of security matters has only served to benefit the terrorist mentors sitting across the border.  

Previous

Index

Next