SRINAGAR: There has been a sudden spurt in killings in the past week following the announcement made by the Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao expressing confidence over the holding of Assembly elections in the state, More than 130 persons have been killed following this announcement last week.
The spurt in the continued militancy related incidents, especially following the Prime Minister’s: declaration during his Punjab visit for holding elections soon, is believed to be a tactics of the separatist forces to frustrate any attempts of the government to initiate a political process in the trouble torn state.” In the past also there had been several similar “attempts by the separatist forces” whenever the Governor, Gen, K.Y. Krishna Rao or central leader made any such announcement regarding the restoration of normalcy in the valley and thereby holding of elections to the state Legislative Assembly.
The recent announcement by the Prime Minister has further raised the ‘graph on the death scale in the valley. But the authorities here believe that the recent killings are a part of the ‘security forces operations” against the armed militants and the infiltrators from across the border. The authorities ruled out any “connection between the Prime Minister’s statement and killings of militants” in north Kashmir during the past week.
At the same time Narasimha Rao’s announcement has lent credence to the indications of seven member group of Union Ministers favoring an early poll in the state before the expiry, of the present term of President’s rule on July 27. The seven member group headed by Home Minister S.B. Chayan is yet to submit the report to the Prime Minister, who looks after the affairs of Jammu and Kashmir. In case of a “positive response” to the possibility of holding elections in the slate, the ministerial group has little time to submit its findings to the Prime Minister’s office.
At least 135 people, most of them militants have been killed since last weeks in the militancy related incidents, when Narasimha Rao during his Punjab visit at Ludhiana expressed the hope that elections in Jammu and Kashmir would be held soon. According to official reports all those killed were engaged in firefights with the security forces while the “militants were on way to different parts of Kashmir to create trouble after receiving arms training from across the border.”
Almost all secessionist parties and militants” outfits have rejected the possibility of holding elections in the state for the start of a political process. The Governor Gen, K.V. Krishna Rao has repeatedly offered the militants to participate in the elections and if “they get the peoples mandate they would be allowed to form the government.” But the secessionist militant outfits and polite have rejected the possible top as the “polls are no solution to end the present crisis” in the valley.
Mohammad Yasin Malik, president of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (KLE) has already threatened to self-immolate himself if the “world conscience failed to influence India not to hold elections” in Jammu and Kashmir. Even various political and religious organizations have urged the JKLF leader to withdraw the threat as it was “un-Islamic,” Malik has not shown any signs of withdrawal.
Ata meeting of the fourth death anniversary of Shaban Vakil, editor of AlSafa, who fell to the bullets of unidentified gunmen on April 23, 1991. Qadiri supported a threat of the JKLF chief, Mohammad Yasin Malik. He made it clear that the employees ‘would “not associate themselves with the electoral process.”
While the separatist have resolved to frustrate any attempt made by the government for holding Assembly elections in the state, the government shall have to ‘prepare itself foraging to reach the stage of a constitutional amendment” and devise ways and means to hold elections before the expiry of the present term of President’s rate. The government has been reasserting to hold elections in the “light of the change in the mood of the people.
While stalemate over the “siege” of the holy township of Chrar continues, agreements planned by the government to “end the crisis without an ‘open confrontation” seems to five failed, It is apprehended that the situation may take a new turn amidst reports of advancement of troops ‘closer to the township. According to a defense spokesman the “situation created by foreign mercenaries at Chrar” was “shameful” and that Mast Gul prevented people from freely worshipping in the shrine, He added that the Army is exercising utmost restraint in entering the shrine because of its deeply ingrained secular attitude and respect for all religious places. On the other hand the separatist organizations here have blamed the authorities for interfering in the religious affairs of Muslims. Hizbul Mujahideen, armed wing of Jamaate-Islami and a front ranking militant outfit has alleged that the shrine was damaged as a result of the firing by security forces. Reports reaching here suggest that many had made bunkersatNafal Teng and Gulshan Abad, very close to the township and the holy shrine of Sheikh Nooruddin Wali, second most revered shrine after that of Hazratbal in Kashmir. There have also been reports of intermittent firing between the militants and the security forces. The township continues to be closed to normal traffic and all activities of normal life are paralyzed. Shops, business establishments and government offices and ‘educational institutions are closed.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 5, 1995
