J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah may be busy beating his chest over the arrest of suspected Hizbul Mujahideen militant Syed liyaqat Ali Shah, but in the last four years of his rule, his Government is guilty of neglecting 241 former militants who returned to India illegally via Nepal, in the hope of taking advantage of the much-hyped Rehabilitation Policy.
This is because not a single former militant returned by routes identified under the policy and procedures for return of ex-militants to Jammu and Kashmir.
During the last four years, Omar did not lock horns with the Centre over the return of former militants and their rehabilitation.He always maintained that the Rehabilitation Policy of his State does not “suit Pakistan and they may sabotage it.”
Now, by raising the issue of Shah’s arrest with the Union Home Ministry, Omar is going back on his own policy framework notified in November 2010 and appears to be legitimizing the return of former militants via illegal routes, taking the entire security grid for a ride.
Omar on Monday admitted on the floor of the House that Shah was returning to surrender before the State police under the Rehabilitation Policy and demanded that the circumstances preceding his arrest by the Delhi Police should be thoroughly probed.
While making a passionate speech on the floor of the House, Omar apparently forgot to mention the fact that “all such former militants permitted to return under the Rehabilitation Policy would be permitted to enter India only through JCP Wagah, Attari, Salamabad or Chakan-da-bagh crossings on the line of Control or through the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi”.
Ironically, the State Home Department, headed by Omar, had on March 11, 2013 furnished details in the State Assembly claiming that not a single former militant had returned through the designated routes.
“During the last three years, as many as 241 former militants have returned to the State illegally via Nepal and other routes,” Minister in charge of Home Department had informed the State Assembly.
Out of these 241 former militants, an estimated 113 ultras also brought their families with them. Sadly, they continue to suffer in isolation in the absence of any healing touch by the State Government.
On Tuesday Omar Abdullah once again informed the State Assembly that since 1990 a total of 4,081 militants have surrendered in the State, and out of these 210 have been provided monetary incentives admissible under the surrender policy.
Ironically, out of these 210 surrendered militants 200 have been accorded benefits under the new surrender policy of 2004 and the remaining ten surrendered militants have been benefited under the surrender policy of 1997.
PDP Patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was the Chief Minister between 2002-05 and had successfully piloted the “healing touch” policy.
According to official sources over 330 militants had surrendered during Sayeed’s rule. At present 432 cases were registered against the surrendered militants out of which 364 cases were challaned, 9 cases were closed as untraced and 59 cases are still under investigation.