New Delhi: Asserting that searches conducted by the National Investigative Agency (NIA) officials at the residences and offices of the separatist leaders was a much-needed endeavour, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress said that breaking the financial backbone of the separatists was very important to restore peace in the Valley.


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BJP leader S. Prakash said that strong measures like the conducted raids were needed to expose the separatists.


"This is a much-needed development. Separatists, stone-pelters and forces, which are creating disturbances in the Valley were receiving financial help across the border. This was also exposed by several electronic media houses," said Prakash.


"The NIA after conducting investigation undertook a major operation to expose the separatists and to block their source of funding and punish them for all the disturbances they are creating in the Valley. Today, strong measures are required to bring back normalcy in the valley. These measures will yield positive results in the coming days," he added.


The Congress also welcomed the step and added it had been requesting the Centre to conduct such raids for a long time, but its suggestions went unheard.


Congress leader Tom Vadakkan, while criticising the People's Democratic Party (PDP) for having a 'soft corner for the separatists', said that these raids would warn the separatists against spoiling the atmosphere in the Valley and would send a message across the border as well.


"We have been saying this for quite some time that it is important to break the financial backbone of the terrorists, but we were never heard. And today for the first time, we are hearing that the NIA has got into some action," said Vadakkan.


"The only way to control the separatists is by cutting off their financial support, and with the PDP-BJP alliance happening, there is a soft corner among the PDP leaders for the separatists. It is very important that these kinds of raids must happen and separatists are told that this would not work in this country and a message will also go to Pakistan," he added.


The NIA yesterday carried out raids at 23 places in Kashmir, Delhi and Haryana in connection with funding received from Pakistan for terror and violence in the Valley.


The NIA sources told ANI that the agency had earlier registered a Preliminary Enquiry into the case which was later converted into a Regular Case (RC) last evening.


"The NIA raids are underway against Hawala operators, and at separatist leaders' house, office and commercial locations," sources told ANI.


Around eight hawala dealers and traders in the national capital were also raided, they added.