Silver lining in Kashmir anti-terror operations
With the reported gunning down of the Lashkar-eTaiba commander Abu Dujana, the Indian security forces have achieved one of their biggest successes in the war on terror in the troubled region. Dujana, a Pakistan national, was the chief of Lashkar’s operations in Kashmir and had a Rs 30 lakh prize on his head. Dujana, a resident of Gilgit-Baltistan joined Lashkar at the age of 17 and had been operating in the Pulwama region of South Kashmir. The concerted action by the security forces in co-ordination with Kashmir police is indeed yielding results of late. Dujana’s killing has come at a time when a dossier prepared by the National Investigation Agency on terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir has established a direct link between Lashkar and Hurriyat leaders, and detailed how financial assistance from across the border was being used for terror financing and to fuel unrest in the Valley. The dossier showed that Pakistan’s ISI and LeT have been in touch with most of the separatist leaders in the state. It says that the top leaders of Hurriyat acquired funds sent through hawala channels and under the guise of cross-LoC trade to finance protests over the last one year. It has been borne out that LeT is sending money to Hurriyat to pay for stone-pelters.
Even as the Narendra Modi government at the Centre is hardening its stance against the Hurriyat, having got the second line of leadership arrested to thwart terror funding, and taking other measures to stop cross-border trade which is one of the main conduits of terror funding, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is pitching for restoration of cross-border trade. A recent media interview of National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah alleged that Mehbooba is in league with the Hurriyat hardline leadership and that is why she plays their tune. He alleged that all the statements that Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani issues are drafted by one of Mehbooba’s ministers who he refused to name.
The ultimate success of the operation against terror in Kashmir would hinge on how sustained is the concerted campaign against it. Vested interests like Mehbooba would need to be disregarded. Once all evidence is collected, the natural course would be to raid and arrest the top leadership of separatist outfits. Half-way measures would not succeed. The Centre would have to go whole hog and the State government would either need to come on board with the Centre’s thinking or it would need to be jettisoned for a more supportive arrangement. There indeed is no room for traitors and betrayers in the country.