NEW DELHI: The surrendered Kashmiri militants who played a pivotal role in security forces drive in blunting the edge of terrorism in Kashmir have complained of feeling. “Abandoned and let down by authorities
Recounting heart rendering experience of retribution militants told news men here that the State government had fulfilled none of the “commitments or promises of rehabilitation made to us.
“I have lost 14 members of my family.” said Jalaluddin, once a militant of fearsome reputation and now a man on whose head Pakistan has put a price of Rs. 12 lakh, adding that yet not even a penny had been paid as compensation to them.
“Even people who accidently get killed by grenades gel a compensation of Rs. 1 lakh and you the government seemed to have abandoned us” Jalaluddin whose band of Gujjar tnbesman lave helped security forces in nabbing over 400 militants from the frontier district of Kashmir said.
Jalaluddin and others of his tribe surrendered after persuasion by the Minister of State for Home, Rajesh Pilot, and were promised that State government would work for their rehabilitation
“We were promised that our boys would get jobs, license for 12 bore guns for self protection and employed by BSF and other security agencies as guides on renunciation,” Jalaluddin said.
He charged that with Pilot being divested or looking after Kashmir affairs, the security agencies as well as State authorities had, abandoned them” forgetting the vital work we did for national cause.”
“We helped the authorities in arranging public meetings during the peak of terrorism in 1991. Has any body so-called leaders who get huge purses dared to hold a meeting in Kashmir valley.” they asked.
Jalaluddin who hails from the border village of Warsun Inkupwara district said that by their help, they had made this area which is closed to ISI run camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK) as “no go area” for militants.
The informer said that he along with his comrades had even met the Prime Minister, PV, Narasimha Rao, who listened to us sympathetically and assured us of all help and, yet nothing seems to be moving.”
If this is the treatment we get can you imagine who would come forward and participate in political activity as you plan to hold elections.” Jalaluddin and other tribal leaders asked
“We have repeatedly asked Central ministers to visit Kashmir. None except Rajesh Pilot has dared. He is a lionhearted man,” Jalaluddin said. He dared the Union Home Minister, S.B. Chavan, to visit Kashmir.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 24, 1995
