Separatist leader Masrath Alam’s release will put coalition in danger in J&K: BJP

Jammu

The release of top separatist leader Masrath Alam today on the orders of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed has not gone down well with ally BJP which said it could spell “danger” to the ruling coalition while the security establishment felt there could be a major threat to peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Masrat Alam is a threat to the national security as he is not a political prisoner but a terrorist. The BJP will never tolerate his release. If such anti-national, pro- Pakistan leaders are released, it would be very difficult to run the coalition government,” state BJP’s youth wing chief and party MLA from Nowshera Ravinder Raina told PTI.

“This coalition will be in danger as we will never accept this. We will protest against the release of this anti-India leader,” he said.

Raina said the release of anti-national leaders was in violation of the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) that the two parties had agreed upon before forging an alliance to form the government in the state.

“It would be difficult for BJP to continue with PDP? We have formed the government with PDP based on CMP, we formed government for peace and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir. All these issues have been kept out of the purview of the CMP and it (release of Alam) is a violation of the understanding between the two parties,” he said.

He said release and rehabilitation of militants was not part of the CMP.

“Our coalition is the result of the CMP and surrender policy and rehabilitation of terrorists is not part of it, these actions are the violation of the CMP,” he said.

Terming the release of Alam a “major threat” to national security, Raina said it could further fuel militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.

“He provokes the youth to join anti-India protests, he sends youth to Pakistan for arms training, he is the close associate of Syed Ali Shah Geelani,” he added.

He said Alam was more dangerous than the terrorists. “The BJP will protest against this and we will definitely talk to the Union Government over this”.

“If you check his speeches, this man is spewing venom against Indian security forces. He has masterminded attacks on Indian security camps. So the release of such kind of anti- national person will be objected what and come what may we will never tolerate his release,” he said.

The security establishment also feared a threat to security in J and K following Alam’s release.

“It will be great security risk and threat to the peace in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly Kashmir Valley, where he has triggered two major stone pelting agitation in which large number persons lost lives in valley”, a senior Police officer told PTI. Alam is the mastermind of the 2008 and 2010 unrest in Kashmir Valley in which a number of lives were lost during the stone-pelting agitation.

The officer, who has worked in various places in Kashmir, said, “he is more stronger and powerful leader than Syed Ali Shah Geelani and has huge cadres in stone-pelters and youth”.

Meanwhile, another senior Police officer said that the blunder is repeated by this government again.

“When he was released last time against our advisory, the stone pelting was triggered in 2010. Even after his arrest, he managed to keep it alive,” he said.

BJP’s youth wing chief Ravinder Raina further told PTI that the release and rehabilitation of militants was not part of the common minimum programme that the two parties had agreed upon to form the government in the state.

“Our coalition is the result of the CMP and surrender policy and rehabilitation of terrorists is not part of it, these actions are the violation of the CMP,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Director General of Police K Rajendra said that the state government’s instructions on release of political prisoners will be complied with.

Mufti had directed the police to start initiating process of releasing political prisoners who do not face any criminal charges.

Separatist leader Masrath Alam to be freed from JK prison

Jammu

Masrath Alam, leader of the hardline- faction of Hurriyat, who had spearheaded the stone-pelting agitations in the valley in 2008 and 2010, will be released from prison following the new government’s policy of freeing political prisoners who do not face criminal charges.

The orders for the release of 42-year-old Alam, chief of the Jammu Kashmir Muslim League, has been issued by the Home Department and he is technically free, said a top police official in Baramulla, where he is lodged in the prison.

Formalities remain to be completed and he would be released once they are over, he said. A number of lives were lost during the stone-pelting agitation in the valley.

DGP K Rajendra said Alam was being released.

Earlier in the day, Rajendra said that police will comply with the directions of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who has sought release of all political prisoners who do not face any criminal charge.

“Yes, all the directions issued by the government (on release of political prisoners from jails in the state) will be complied with. Let us be assured about it,” Director General of Police (DGP), J&K, K Rajendra Kumar told reporters here today.

He was asked whether the process of release of political prisoners has begun at the level of the police.

“Any direction coming from the the government would be looked into and would be worked out,” the DGP said.

In a meeting with the police chief here on Wednesday, Sayeed had asked the police to initiate a process of releasing all political prisoners in the State against whom no criminal charges have been registered.

He had also directed the DGP to prepare a comprehensive plan for the rehabilitation of surrendered and released militants.

Asked whether police has formulated any plan for release of separatists, including those who took part in stone pelting in 2008 and 2010, like separatists Masarat Alam and Qasim Faktoo, he said, “We will get back to you. We will come back with our views when we are ready with the blue print.”

“At the moment, we will not be able to say much on that.

Let us work on that then we will get back to you,” he said.

“Alam will be shifted to Central Jail Srinagar where from he will be released,” District Magistrate Baramulla Talat Parvez told PTI.

Alam, whose Muslim League is a constituent of the hardline Hurriyat Conference headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, was arrested in October 2010 for his alleged role in fuelling the anti-national protests during that year’s summer agitation that left more than 120 persons dead and thousands others injured.

Police to comply with Mufti”s directive on political prisoners

Jammu

Jammu and Kashmir Police will comply with the directions of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who has sought release of all political prisoners who do not face any criminal charge.

“Yes, all the directions issued by the government (on release of political prisoners from jails in the state) will be complied with. Let us be assured about it,” Director General of Police (DGP), J&K, K Rajendra Kumar told reporters here today.

He was asked whether the process of release of political prisoners has begun at the level of the police.

“Any direction coming from the the government would be looked into and would be worked out,” the DGP said.

In a meeting with the police chief here on Wednesday, Sayeed had asked the police to initiate a process of releasing all political prisoners in the State against whom no criminal charges have been registered.

He had also directed the DGP to prepare a comprehensive plan for the rehabilitation of surrendered and released militants.

Asked whether police has formulated any plan for release of separatists including those who took part in stone pelting in 2008 and 2010, separatists Masarat Alam and Qasim Faktoo, he said, “We will get back to you. We will come back with our views when we are ready with the blue print.”

“At the moment, we will not be able to say much on that.

Let us work on that then we will get back to you,” he said.

Sena slams BJP on sharing power with PDP in J&K

Mumbai

Slamming BJP for tying up with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir, ally Shiv Sena today said the saffron party will not only be burning its fingers by joining the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed government but it could also cause trouble for the country as a whole.

“The BJP may be burning its fingers by its decision to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Not only that, we are seeing signs that this alliance might get India into trouble as well,” the Sena’s official organ ‘Saamana’ said in an editorial today.

The Sena mouthpiece also called for the Narendra Modi Government to condemn in Parliament the statement by Sayeed giving credit for peaceful conduct of J and K assembly polls to separatists and Pakistan.

In a veiled reference to Modi, the Saamana editorial said people who are aware of Sayeed’s background would be wary of having ‘Chai pe Charcha’ and shaking hands with him.

It added that by crediting the Hurriyat and “people from across the border” for the peaceful election in Jammu and Kashmir, “Sayeed has proved that he is not a nationalist.”

“Sayeed’s party has demanded that remains of Afzal Guru be brought back to the Valley even before the controversy over his comments has died down. Even (BJP General Secretary) Ram Madhav, who conducted the ministry-forming talks with Sayeed couldn’t stop his rants,” Sena said.

It alleged that Sayeed had, in the past, not left any opportunity to demand Kashmir’s partition and that he had staged the drama of the kidnap of his daughter for the release of Pakistani terrorists.

“In the last 40-50 years, Sayeed has never missed a chance to demand an independent Kashmir whenever he got the opportunity. While he was the Home Minister (in the National Front ministry), the government had to release Pakistani terrorists in exchange for his daughter who was kidnapped.

“It later turned out that Sayeed had enacted the kidnapping of his own daughter for their release,” the editorial said.

“If Sayeed continues with his rants, India will have to pay a heavy price for it. Article 370 of the Constitution needs to be scrapped and the government should state in Parliament in clear terms that it disagrees with Sayeed’s statements,” the Sena added.

No regrets on Alam’s detention: Omar after separatist’ release

Srinagar

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tonight said he had no “regrets” that his government had detained the hardline Kashmiri separatist leader Masarat Alam who was released following the order of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.

“Yes, my Govt detained Masarat Alam & we kept him out of circulation. Detention isn’t ideal but difficult situations have to be tackled,” Abdullah tweeted shortly after the release of the separatist leader.

Stating that Alam was “the chief architect” of the anti-national protests of 2010, Omar said that his detention ensured peace in the Valley even during the time of Afzal Guru’s execution in 2013 and even allowed for smooth elections.

“Alam was the chief architect of the 2010 protests. It’s not a coincidence that the protests died out AFTER his hard won detention. The summer of 2010 was never repeated again, not even after Afzal Guru’s execution & a huge reason for that was the absence of Alam.”

“Which ever way I look at it Alam’s detention saved lives AND allowed a smother safer pair of elections so I have no regrets at all,” he said in another tweet.

Omar also said that whether Alam has turned “a new leaf” and “done a deal with Mufti Syed” or he will go back to organising trouble in the Valley, only “time can tell”.

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