Contrary to the claims being made that Kashmiri separatist’s leaders are being provided security cover by the various security agencies, the Union Home Ministry in New Delhi Tuesday declared that no security cover is being provided to the separatists by the Central government.

Ministry of Home affairs, while replying to an RTI filed by a Jammu resident, said that there is no record available with the concerned Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) about the security facility being provided to the Kashmiri separatists.

“As per records available with the undersigned CPIO no facility is being provided by the government of India to these Kashmiri separatist leaders. Therefore, the question of expenditure incurred in this respect does not arise”, replied the ministry of Home Affairs to the RTI filed by Rohit Kumar, a resident of Jammu.

Pertinently on 10 September, 2016 Union Minister Jitendra Singh had said that the Centre government provides security cover to the separatists because Pakistan might attack separatist’s leaders to blame it on India.

“Why security has been given to them, because Pakistan backed people will kill them and blame us (India)”.

“What has happened to Moulvi Farooq… what has happened to Abdul Gani Lone… They have fear and threat from their own people,” Singh told media in September last year.

Pertinently, the Supreme Court on 8 September, 2016 refused to accept a PIL demanding blocking of central funds for Kashmiri separatists. The PIL filed on September 8 said that more than 100 Cr is spent for foreign, security and other expanses on separatists by the government.

“Security issues cannot be handled through judicial proceedings and courts must desist (from) entertaining such issues,” the bench told the lawyer, who had filed the RTI in his personal capacity.

In March 2013, Jammu and Kashmir government had informed the Legislative Assembly that over Rs 9.47 crore was spent on providing security to separatist leaders and activists for a period of 12 years —from 2001 to 2012.

All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leaders, who have been provided security cover, include Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Molvi Abbas Ansari, Prof A B Gani Bhat and Bilal Lone. Hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani has no security cover.

Guest