NEW DELHI: Indian security forces have launched the “biggest ever joint operation™ against militants in Jammu and Kashmir, according to a high ranking State government official.
‘The authorities have also initiated a move to make the local administration more “responsive” and effective and ensure Conditions conducive to restore Indian rule in the valley. “We are getting a positive response from the people are confident of going ahead with restoring democratic process in the State,” he said.
It was “well within the means of the government to control the militancy within a short span of time of three to four months to pave the way for elections which would be totally free and fair,” he added. “Calling militants as our misled brothers,” the official said, “they (the militants) were free to form new parties or revive old ones like Muslim United Front to participate in elections.”
The official said while the security forces, now working under a new “unified command,” had been given instructions to put relentless pressure on militants, the State Governor, K.V.Krishna Rao, had ordered that effective steps should be taken 10 ensure that there was no further alienation among the Kashmiri’s.
He said the Governor had strictly told security forces that any complaints of custodial death, torture, molestation or any other act of “highhandedness” by forces would be investigated into and the guilty be punished. The official claimed that these instructions were having a salutary effect.
Simultaneously, the state government official said the Governor had held out an offer to militants that I hose who gave up arms would be rehabilitated by the State; in this connection a number of rehabilitation centers had started working in Kashmir valley. He added. “The Governor has promised the alienated youths that he would give those jobs and there is an increasing response from the militants who are asking for modalities,” the official said.
Elaborating on the new unified command setup, the official said, there was very little coordination among the security forces with BSF and CRPF units working on their own, and the Army on its own and the state police left to fend for it. To coordinate operations, 4 coordinating conference was being held daily in Srinagar.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 25, 1993
