L-G claims militancy in last leg, Farooq disagrees

SRINAGAR:  Amid continued targeted killings by militants in Kashmir, former chief minister and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Monday said the revocation of Article 370 which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir has worsened the situation instead of improving it, while Lt-Governor Manoj Sinha claimed that militancy was in its last leg. 

“When the lamp is about to go off, its flame flares more,” Sinha told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Srinagar. “We will extinguish it (the flames of terrorism) shortly,” Sinha asserted, adding that the administration and security forces were preparing with their full might to deal with it.

Sinha said some elements from across the border were attempting to create instability in J&K as they can’t digest the robust economy and tourism. “They want to push J&K back to the times when there used to be hartals and education institutions remained closed,” Sinha said.

Abdullah, meanwhile, told reporters in Surankote in Jammu, “They (Centre) said Article 370 was responsible for militancy in J&K. After the revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, militancy has again increased.” This proved Article 370 was not responsible for militancy, he added.

On Kashmiri Pandit employees leaving the Valley, Abdullah said, “We want that they should remain here. It is up to them. It is also up to the government how to ensure their security. They (Pandits) wanted to live here by heart, not forcibly.” Till Pandits consider themselves safe, they will continue to flee, he asserted.