Security downgrade regressive, says Omar Abdullah

Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and leader of National Conference Omar Abdullah on Thursday termed the government’s move to withdraw or downgrade the security of mainstream political leaders and activists “regressive and retrograde” and said that his party would move court if the decision is not revisited.

“Withdrawal of security of leaders is a regressive step. It is the duty of the state to provide security to its people. If anything happens, they will be held responsible for it,” he said at a press conference here. Earlier in a tweet, the former chief minister said, “Withdrawal of security to mainstream political workers & office bearers is a retrograde step that will only weaken political activity in the Valley. This is regardless of the fact that no one from @JKNC_ has had their security withdrawn in yesterday’s list”. Elaborating on his viewpoint, he said that the security has been withdrawn also from mainstream politicians, particularly at a time when the Central government wants maximum participation in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. “My concern is about the withdrawal of security to mainstream political operators. On the one hand, you are telling us that we have to be prepared for Parliament and the Assembly elections. On the other hand, you are telling us that we no longer deserve the protection of the state,” he added. Mr Abdullah said that mainstream political parties should be encouraged to step up their activities and build greater contact with people.

He said that he had no doubt that this step has been taken without taking into consideration the inputs from Central and state intelligence agencies “which can only mean it’s been done for political purposes and there is an element of pick and choose at play here”.

Mr Abdullah said that he would like to encourage governor Satya Pal Malik to reconsider the decision.

“If it is not revisited we will approach the courts and ask them to intervene,” he said. As for the security of separatists also being withdrawn, he said that the successive governments including those led by the Congress and the BJP had allotted them security.

The state government had on Wednesday anno-unced withdrawing or downgrading the security cover of 18 separatist leaders and 155 other political persons saying it was wastage of the state’s otherwise scarce resources.  A spokesman of state’s home department had said in winter capital Jammu, “It was felt that providing security to these separatist leaders is a wastage of scarce state resources which could be better utilised elsewhere”.

Among the separatist leaders whose security has been downgraded or completely withdrawn are Aga Syed Hassan, Moulvi Abbas Ansari and Aga Syed Abul Hussain. This is in addition to the four separation leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq whose security was withdrawn on Sunday, the spokesman had said.

Moulvi Ansari had in the wake of the government’s withdrawing the security cover provided to his colleague Mirwaiz Umar made a formal request to the authorities that his security too may be withdrawn “as I don’t need it”.

The home department spokesman had also said that in addition to this the security of 155 political persons and activists, who did not require the security provided to them based on their threat assessment and their activities, has also been withdrawn. These include Shah Faesal, who resigned from the IAS recently and Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, the youth leader of Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). According to the government, through this measure over 1,000 police personnel and over 100 vehicles “are freed to do regular police work”.

The move comes days after home minister Rajnath Singh had, during his visit to Srinagar, said that the security given to people getting funds from Pakistan and its intelligence agency ISI should be reviewed. “Some elements in Jammu and Kashmir have links with the ISI and terrorist organisations. Their security should be reviewed,” he had said after reviewing security in the aftermath of the February 14 suicide attack near here in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed and several others injured.