NIA Raids On Kashmiri Separatists: Another Evidence Of Centre's 'Iron Fist Policy'?

Hours after a dozen IAF jets crossed the LoC, hitting “the biggest training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad”, in Pakistan, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) started early morning raids at the homes of separatist leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik.

The NIA raids and the arrest of over 600 political workers across Kashmir are part of the Centre’s latest ‘iron fist’ policy toward Kashmir after the February 14 suicide attack in Pulwama by a Jaish-e-Muhammad militant in which 40 paramilitary CRPF personnel were killed. 

Accompanied by CRPF personnel, who were in riot gear, the NIA team raided the houses of separatist leaders and started searches. The growing tension over the IAF raid between India and Pakistan didn’t make the government change its policy toward the separatists. 

There is also fear among the mainstream political parties that the Centre shouldn’t do away with Article 35A, that empowers the Jammu and Kashmir legislature to define “permanent resident” of the state.

 “If it happens then the Centre will see what it has not seen in Kashmir from 1947 to till date,” former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has warned. Another former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that elections should be held in the state and decisions about these constitutional matters left to the elected government. “Hold elections in the State and leave the decision about Article 35A to the elected government,” he said. 

The police maintain the government intends to keep the separatist leaders in custody for long and the NIA raids were being conducted to collect further material evidence against them. 

The government toughened its stand against the separatists and mainstream political parties after the Feb 14 attack, and as a first step announced the withdrawal of security from around 155 protected persons of the state. Though the government claimed it has withdrawn security from pro-independence Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and hardline Hurriyat Conference Chairman Syed Ali Geelani, the two separatists were not having any security. Geelani has remained under house arrest for long periods since 2010. The government has ensured that the separatists leaders remain “out of circulation” by detaining them frequently and putting restrictions on their movement. 

Malik, who remains in police custody off and on, said he never had any security cover. He said he was offered security many a times but he always refused it. Geelani also said he had no security cover. Moderate separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said it was the government which had insisted that he have the security cover. “It was always the government which would insist that we keep security cover based on certain threat perception. It was the government’s decision to have security that time, and now it is the government’s decision to take it away. We in the first place never wanted it,” he said. 

The government also withdrew security from Hurriyat leaders of the moderate faction, Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat, Bilal Gani Lone and Abbas Ansari. While a number of people have volunteered to protect Mirwaiz, police officials say it wouldn’t be of any help. “Mirwaiz was given security because of the threat perception. His father was assassinated by the militants. He himself was engaged in talks at the Prime Ministerial level and now all of a sudden you cannot say he has no threat,” a police official said. 

On May 21, 1990, unidentified gunmen barged into the downtown Srinagar residence of Mirwaiz Maulvi Mohammad Farooq-- the father of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq -- and assassinated him. Later, scores of people were killed when CRPF personnel fired upon his funeral procession near Islamia College in Srinagar. Human rights groups say around 60 people were killed in the firing and hundreds of others sustained injuries. Hurriyat Conference leader Abdul Gani Lone, father of Sajad Gani Lone and Bilal Lone, was killed on May 21,  2002. He was killed by unidentified assailants at a rally to mark the death anniversary of Mirwaiz Maulvi Mohammad Farooq at Eidgah ground in old Srinagar city. The leader was fired upon seconds before the ceremony was to end. 

In 2003 Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, Abdul Gani Lone, Moulna Abbas Ansari and Fazal Haq  Qurashi entered into dialogue with the Central government, while Geelani took a hawkish stance, and the Hurriyat bifurcated into hardliners and moderates over the dialogue. 

Moderates led by Mirwaiz in January 2004, held talks with the then Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani in New Delhi. Later on September 6, 2005, and on May 3, 2006 the moderate Hurriyat Conference held talks with then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the UPA-I. However, the third round of talks did not take off between the Hurriyat and New Delhi, as the Hurriyat said that “promises” of the confidence building measures (CBM) implementation were not fulfilled. 

Peoples Conference leader Sajad Gani Lone explained what the danger could be, when he said that the government reduced security of his father, Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone in 2002. And after some months, “I received the body of my father in my house.” “I am not in a position to defend this decision. If I didn’t have security, I wouldn’t have fought elections. I wouldn’t have lived to fight elections,” Lone said. He said there is no justification for it.

“My father was killed. Mirwaiz’s sahab’s father was killed. Someone will take advantage of this step (removal of security),” he warned, and called for review of the decision. He said security was given as the government knew they had a threat from the other side. “My morality demands I cannot support it,” he added.

Taking security away from the separatist leaders is being seen as dangerous in already volatile Kashmir. “We reviewed the security of all these people only last year based on the threat perception, and this year without any thought we are removing their security. No reason was cited for the same,” said a senior police official. 

Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, PDP youth leader, who faces militant threat, had 10 security guards for the past four years. However, the government removed his security, and also of IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal without citing any reason. “I have been praised by the Union Home Minister for promoting young talent in Kashmir and working among the youths,” he said. 

“Now where will we go. My vehicle was taken away, my security guards have been taken away,” said Waheed. “Much before withdrawing security they first announced it to the whole world, and thus they gave the message to all those who want to hit us,” Parra said. “We are at the mercy of others now,” he said.  Shah Faesal has termed it a very bad decision. 

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said his concern goes beyond the withdrawal of security of separatists. “My concern is about the withdrawal of security to the mainstream political operatives. On the one hand you are telling us you have to be prepared for the elections and on the other hand you are telling us we no longer deserve the protection of the state,” he said. He said the withdrawal of security of Shah Faesal or of anyone from the PDP and other mainstream parties will hamper their mobility. “I believe withdrawal of security to mainstream leaders and the office bearers is a hugely regressive step,” he said and asked the Governor’s administration to revisit the step.   

The police and paramilitary forces have launched a crackdown on Jamaat-e-Islami, a social political organisation. Jamaat-e-Islami said nearly 300 of its workers were arrested in the midnight raids that started on February 22. The police also arrested Jamaat Islami president Dr. Abdul Hameed Fayaz. 

“My 70-year-old father was taken from his house in the midnight. Next day I went to see him at the police station. The police have not charged him with anything. I think they are all in pre-preventive custody and that is why there is no charge against him,” said a lawyer.

Police sources say they don’t know why the arrests are being made. “The whole thing is being handled from the Centre and we only obey orders,” said a police official. “I think till elections are over they will remain in custody,” he added.