New Delhi: Contrary to media reports of a crackdown, the central government is not likely to slash facilities and perks being currently provided to Kashmiri separatist leaders, said sources on Wednesday.
It was earlier reported that the Centre may withdraw security, passports of the Hurriyat faction leaders and scrutinise their banks accounts.
New agency ANI quoted Sitaram Yechury as saying that ''Home Minister said in all-party meet that reports of government deciding to crackdown on separatists is absolutely wrong.''
The all-party delegation that visited Jammu and Kashmir last week gave its feedback to the Centre today during a crucial meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
During the meet, all MPs said with one word that the state government had “failed” to deal with the situation while political leaders there continued to make “misleading statements”.
A summary of their findings was compiled by the Home Ministry and was discussed at the all-party delegation meeting in New Delhi.
At least 75 people have lost their lives and over 10,000 injured in violent clashes between the security forces and civilians following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
Wednesday’s meeting comes amid reports that the Centre is planning to harden its stance vis-à-vis Kashmiri separatist leaders who had given a cold shoulder to the 28-member all-party delegation that visited Srinagar last Sunday.
During the visit, it was reportedly found that “hartal (strike) calendars” were being issued every day from Pakistan under the name of Kashmiri separatist leaders, and hence stakeholders recommended that the separatists be isolated and dealt with strongly.
On Sunday, Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani had shut his door to CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja and two other MPs who tried to call on him at his Hyderpora home in Srinagar.
The group met former Hurriyat head Abdul Ghani Bhat at his home in Jawahar Nagar, JKLF leader Yasin Malik at Humhama jail, and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Shabir Shah at Cheshma Shahi guesthouse, but the response of these separatist leaders was lukewarm, at best.
Separately, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi met Mirwaiz, the Valley’s chief cleric, and moderate Hurriyat leader Shabir Shah.
Rajnath Singh had come down heavily on separatists for snubbing the MPs, saying that it’s against “Kashmiriyat” and “jamooriyat (democracy)”. Other members of the delegation have, however, not taken such a strident stance.
