JAMMU: Though the Hazrathal crisis has been peacefully resolved its tremors are still rocking Kashmir with separatist demanding that the security bunkers around the shrine be removed to facilitate people in offering prayers without any inconvenience.

The state administration has a different plan. At least for the time being it has decided to reject the demand by keeping the bunkers intact. According. to the DGP M.N Sabharwal minor adjustments could be possible in the shape of shifting a couple of bunkers from one spot (0 the other or in the shape of replacement of the BSF by a bigger deployment of the Jammu and Kashmir armed police. But not beyond this. The tough stance adopted by the Government flows from what it calls the healthy fallout of the siege of the historic shrine and the consequent Peaceful resolution of the one-month long crisis. Though the separatists claim that the militants holed up inside the shrine have won the battle be securing release of more than 2) insurgents so far government circles opine that the swift action in the shape of laying the siege had prevented the militants from not only misusing the shrine for anti-government activities but also for playing mischief.

Whatever may be the reasons behind the claims and the counter claims of the two sides the Government has been emboldened by the tum of events of the valley has witnessed since October 15 when the siege was laid. Official sources claim that it was because of this leak which

Allowed a chance to top militants to escape that the Governments assertion that foreign mercenaries and top activists of the Hizbul Mujahideen were holed up inside the shrine proved wrong. At one stage Brig S.P.S. Kanwar who was in charge of the Hazrathal operation had announced that a Pakistani army officer was also inside the shrine When he was asked to name the man he said that it was Captain Yusuf and later it was revealed that Yusuf was a local militant who had got the nickname of captain for his style of functioning According to Hurriyat Conference leaders militants inside the shrine never intended to play any mischief Had they any such plan they could have hurled a grenade or two on the troops on guard outside the shrine which was enough to provoke the Jawans to storm the shrine irrespective of the consequences. These leaders blame the Government for encouraging people to adopt violent methods

However Circles believe that prior to the siege there was a tussle between the JKLF and the Hizbul Mujahideen over the occupation of the shrine for the last two years militant outfit leaders would use big Friday congregations in Hazratbal for whipping up anti-India hysteria.

Critics of the Government explain that the state authorities had not yet established whether the locks of the sanctum sanatorium had been tampered with or replaced or the keys had been snatched from the custodians or it was simply as stage managed show to provide political support to the Congress in UP and MP elections.  

Those who point this out say that why did the government not clinch the issue on the same conditions which we offered at the time of the surrender

What continues to perplex the Government is the way top militants managed to escape day   before the surrender.

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