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| Edited By: Iftikhar Gilani |Source: DNA |Updated: Jul 15, 2017, 07:26 AM IST
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has admitted that there were security lapses in Monday’s terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims. In an exclusive interview with DNA’s Iftikhar Gilani, she also talks about Kashmir’s new wave of militancy, and other crises afflicting the restive state. Excerpts:
It is too early for me to tell you with authenticity what exactly happened and pinpoint blame for this dastardly act. There were lapses. That’s why this tragedy happened. [But] no security can be completely foolproof. There are some standard operating procedures (SOPs) for convoys bound for the Holy Amarnath shrine. They have to be registered and they travel accompanied by security vehicles. These convoys also travel after road-opening parties clear roads. The tyre of his bus had punctured twice. Then these pilgrims stopped and did some shopping. I was told they stopped to purchase some cricket bats. There was an armoured police vehicle, which was attacked first. But definitely they were not in a convoy. I am still not sure whether the pilgrims were specifically targeted or they got held up in crossfire [between security forces and terrorists]. I have set up a Special Investigating Team (SIT) under the South Kashmir DIG to probe all aspects. But let me assure you that — unlike past such cases — the investigation into this attack will be taken to its logical conclusion.
It is the job of the Opposition to hold us accountable. They have been demanding our government's dismissal for a year. But tell me, what difference it would make. It is that moment when we must unite against evil designs of forces, which are out to disturb peace in Kashmir. While I don’t find enough words to condemn this dastardly attack, it gave me a hope, in a way, that everybody in Kashmir, including separatists, was upset and came out openly against the attack. It was unprecedented.
A centuries-old tradition of Kashmir has been attacked. When I was a child, I used to go to Pahalgam just to watch the procession of Amarnath pilgrims. It used to be an occasion, a mela for us in South Kashmir... we used to wait for it the whole year. I am happy, this incident has stirred the conscience of the Kashmiri society.
On that night, when I was with the injured pilgrims and overlooking arrangements at Anantnag Hospital, I saw local Kashmiri youths lined up outside offering blood for the injured. This attack was clearly an attempt to disturb our communal fabric across the country and hit our basic fundamentals enshrined in Kashmiriyat. We were able to defeat these designs. The credit goes to people and the government alike. The way Home Minister Rajnath Singh took the lead and gave a mature and responsible statement is commendable. It prevented communal conflagration and any cascading effect. The first thing that had come to my mind was that the incident would invite reactions against Kashmiris living outside and will lead to Hindu-Muslims tensions in the rest of the country. This incident, though condemnable, has brought forth certain positive things we must capitalise.
(Smiles). I must be thankful to Jammu for showing restraint. It has given me a lot of hope. It was because of our alliance partner BJP, who performed its duties very well. Our deputy chief minister and other people are camping in Jammu. To remind you, when my father Mufti Muhammad Sayeed entered into an alliance with the BJP, it was a well-thought-out step to bring ‘the north pole and the south pole’ together to empower both Jammu as well as Kashmir. This incident proved, he was right. Imagine, if Jammu was out of the power system and its mandate had not been respected... To respect the mandate, we came together. There was no other choice. And BJP dutifully performed its responsibilities. They tried to see things don’t go beyond control. Certain quarters tired to fish in troubled waters. BJP leaders did well to sooth tempers. Condemnations from Kashmir also helped. When have you seen both regions Jammu and Kashmir coming together condemning an incident so unequivocally?
Let me also put on record my appreciation for the people of Gujarat and Maharashtra. People from these states were killed. When I met them here at the hospital, I tell you, we need to learn from them a lot. With such a tragedy in the background, they had no complaints. They showed a high degree of patience.
Whenever someone is given security, it is based on threat perceptions and security assessments by agencies responsible for that job. They [Hurriyat leaders] are our citizens. Their security is also our duty. Even if your ideologies differ, you don’t compromise on basic fundamentals that are right to life and right to freedom of expression. There is a process of such assessments. I don’t think that giving or taking away security or assessing threat perceptions is politicians’ job. We have competent and professional security agencies in the country and the state to do this job.
I believe restoring centuries-old connectivity to Jammu and Kashmir is answer to all its economic and political problems. I see J&K becoming a corridor of economic activity in the region... if these linkages are restored, it will benefit the country as well. Why can’t we be partners in economic growth and share the benefits of projects? What is the harm if the region becomes a hub of emerging economic opportunities leading to cooperation in trade?
We are not demanding something unusual. It is part of the Agenda of Alliance that we scripted together with our alliance partner. They are signatories. The Agenda of Alliance is a document of governance. It says the coalition government will facilitate and help initiate a sustained and meaningful dialogue with all internal stakeholders, which will include all political groups irrespective of their ideological views and predilections. This dialogue will seek to build a broad-based consensus on the resolution of all outstanding issues of J&K.
Yes, any dialogue process needs a favourable climate. There is an urgency to create such atmospherics. It is not only the duty of the government to build such a climate. It is a difficult situation. When you have people getting killed along the LoC... And attacks like that of the one on Amarnath pilgrims happen... The onus to create an atmosphere of trust lies on the other side as well. But yes, ultimately, there is no escape from dialogue to help resolve issues peacefully. You may remember atmospherics our government created when we were in power between 2003 and 2005. People in Kashmir do remember [then PM] Vajpayee’s initiatives and his era. That had a salutary effect on the ground situation as well.
Unfortunately, nothing happened between 2005 and 2014. And also now the incidents of Pathankot, Uri, Nagrota (attacks) didn’t give room to restart the process. Dialogue with Pakistan may not be possible in the current circumstances. But ultimately, it will happen. I am confident that Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is credited with taking very bold decisions would carry forward this vision to usher the state and the region in an era of peace, stability and prosperity.
When the situation improves, we should not shy away from the fact that we need to start revocation of AFSPA from some places and see what its impact. As and when the situation improves, there is a need for giving incentives to make people’s lives easy. When I assumed office, I didn’t get enough time to create a conducive atmosphere.
I feel angry, helpless and sad. I am angry... how could people allow their kids to go out in such a charged atmosphere? I feel sad when parents allow kids to go to encounter sites and pelt stones on security forces. I am pursuing the cases of killings. I will not lose relationship with people. My father, when he was on the hospital bed, was asking me about PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Lahore. He was so upset when Pathankot [terror attack] happened. A person, who is on his death bed, was so committed to reconciliation... Encounters have been happening in Kashmir, but never ever had I imagined this kind of public upsurge of emotions wherein some elements will use young boys as shields.
At a recent Unified Command meeting, I suggested to security agencies to contact the parents of these local boys so that they are persuaded to return. We need to have a plan of action. A majority of these boys haven’t killed anybody. They don’t even have arms. We need to figure out how to integrate them back into our society so that they can lead normal lives. I am hopeful that we will be able to make a positive way forward.
We stand for each and every word that is in our Agenda of Alliance, but there is also the time factor, which is important. This talk of diluting Article 370 [a constitutional provision that grants the state special status] by bringing in GST is not correct. We had to do trade with other states. They wanted our traders to pay more taxes. It would have affected consumers in the state. We are a consumer state after all... and we will get benefited. GST has no relation with Article 370. Those crying should see who diluted Article 370 between 1975 and now.
And also we never believed in undermining India’s sovereignty and then finding a solution to Kashmir’s problem. That is not possible.
Communalism is never going to succeed in this country because people are secular. I don’t think India is going to become a State that belongs to only one religion. That is never going to happen.
We would have been very comfortable with the Congress. They offered us support. But we thought if we can be able to end the miseries of Kashmiris and find some kind of an honourable solution to the Kashmir problem and live a life of honour and dignity and prosperity. This country can take care of the aspirations of our people to the maximum. PM Modi is very ambitious and I am sure he will go to any extent to settle the issue. We [Kashmiris] can become a bridge of friendship between the two sides [India and Pakistan] because we get most affected because of their animosity.
