Militancy reviving in Kashmir, govt should take concrete steps to curb it: JKPCC chief

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress Saturday said militancy was reviving in the valley, and demanded the government to take concrete steps by framing a comprehensive policy to curb it.

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Vikar Rasool Wani condemned the killing of three security force officers in a gunfight with militants in Kokernag area on Wednesday.

Major Ashish Dhonchak, 19 Rashtriya Rifles Commanding Officer Col Manpreet Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Bhat, and a soldier were killed in the encounter with the militants on Wednesday.

The gunfight entered into its fourth day on Saturday.

“We condemn it in no uncertain terms. It is a very sad incident. The situation is that militancy has not ended as the Government of India or the LG administration claims. I think they should frame a comprehensive policy to curb the militancy so that people come out of a life of distress which they have been living for the last 35 years,” Wani told PTI here.

Wani said the party will not indulge in politics over the issue, and said it is pained by the killings. “There was an incident in Rajouri as well, there is firing in Uri as well, so I think, militancy is again reviving and the government should take some concrete steps (against it),” he added.

The JKPCC president said the ground situation in the valley was different from what the BJP was projecting in the rest of the country.

“They use it in other states, to make speeches, when the ground situation is different. When Article 370 was abrogated, they made it sound like Jammu and Kashmir was previously an area under Pakistan, which is totally wrong.

“They use militancy politically to try to make the ground favourable. Congress and other like-minded parties see such issues in the national interest and have never indulged in politics on such issues or martyrs. They (BJP) sought votes in the name of Pulwama martyrs, which is very wrong,” Wani said.

Earlier, addressing a press conference, Wani said the Congress will start a protest programme from next week against the “anti-people measures” of the government.

He said from September 19 to 28, protests would be held by the party daily in two districts – one each in Kashmir and Jammu province.

Referring to the alleged scam in the Jal Shakti department, Wani demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter.

He said the protest would also target the continuous installation of pre-paid smart metres and forceful recovery of electric tariffs from the people.

“Removal of additional duties on several American products such as apples, etc, which will devastate the apple industry of Jammu and Kashmir, and forceful imposition of property, water and toll taxes are the other issues on which protests will take place,” the JKPCC president said.