Governor faces NC wrath on rights issue
S.P. Sharma
Jammu, February 27
Battlelines are drawn between the Congress-led coalition government and the opposition National Conference (NC) as members of NC today 'greeted' the Governor, Lieut. Gen. S.K. Sinha (retd), to the legislature complex with anti-government slogans on the issue of human rights violations in the valley. They also sought a judicial inquiry into the killing of four boys at Handwara during an encounter between the Army and terrorists.
The NC legislators boycotted the proceedings and raised slogans outside the Central Hall while the Governor addressed the joint sitting of both Houses on the opening day of the Budget session. Within the hall, the CPI MLC, Mr Abdul Rehman Takroo, interrupted the Governor and raised the issue of human rights violations in the valley.
He said while on one hand the government was engaged in the peace process, on the other hand the incidents of human rights violation had increased in the valley. NC members led by Mr Abdul Rahim Rather, Leader of the Opposition, gathered outside the legislature complex in the morning and started raising slogans against the government.
They continued to raise the issue till the Governor left the complex after delivering his 90-minute address.
Thereafter, they assembled in the lobby and raised slogans while the House met.
Mr Rather demanded that action should be taken against the Army personnel who were involved in the killing of the four boys. He wanted that a judicial Inquiry by a sitting judge of the High Court should be ordered into the incident.
In his address Governor Sinha said the government had given clear instructions to the security forces that common man should not be brought to any harm while fighting terrorism and violence and that the collateral damage, if unavoidable, has to be absolutely minimum.
He said the state government was totally against all forms of excesses and would not hesitate to take action under law where such excesses are reported and proved.
''The state government wholeheartedly supports the ongoing peace process between India and Pakistan and the confidence building measures (CBMs) agreed upon by the two governments. It is hoped that the ongoing dialogue and CBMs lead to an era of permanent peace between the two countries'', he said.
The Governor said the first priority of the government was to restore normalcy in the state to enable everyone to live and work without fear. ''As a result of the coordinated efforts of the Army, para-military forces and the police and with the support of the ordinary people, the graph of terrorist violence is going down''.
The year 2005 registered a drop of 24 per cent as compared to the last year in the killing of civilians and political activists.
In all 917 terrorists were killed in 2005. As many as 157 officers and jawans of the Army and para-military forces, 32 officers and jawans of the J&K Police, 37 special police officers (SPOs) and 18 members of the village defence committees had sacrificed their lives while fighting militancy last year.
Referring to the reopening of the road link between Srinagar and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), the Governor said earlier in the year India took a great step forward in facilitating contact between the divided families of the state by opening the Jhelum valley road for passenger traffic.
''The bus to PoK may be a small beginning, but I am sure, it will pierce through the frozen mindset that have promoted violence and hatred and help usher in an era of goodwill and people to people contact, the need for which is increasingly realised in the new global scenario''.
''The recent announcement by the governments of India and Pakistan to allow trucks with merchandise to ply on the road has a great significance for the economy of the state. The start of the Poonch-Rawlakote bus service will be a boon for the people of the border areas of the Jammu province who are cut off from their kith and kin as a result of political problems'', he added.
The Governor reiterated that the government was keen to ensure safe and respectable return of the Kashmiri migrants to their homes in the valley.
He also listed various achievements of the government and steps taken for development of the state.
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