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Mufti to relocate SOG, withdraw POTA

Shahid K Abbas in New Delhi

The Congress, People's Democratic Party, People's Democratic Forum and the National Panthers Party, who have decided to form a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, on Sunday issued a 33-point common minimum programme seeking to withdraw the Prevention of Terrorism Act from the state with retrospective effect.

Making the document public at a press conference in New Delhi, PDP chief Mufti Mohammed Sayeed said the government would release all "political prisoners" and review the operations of all "such laws" that have been used in the "past decade to deprive the people of their basic rights to life and liberty..."

Asked if his government would release all those who were held under POTA, he said, "Why not! We will release all the political prisoners. Besides, we consider that there are enough laws in existence to deal with militancy."

The government would ensure that Special Operations Group personnel were assimilated and relocated within the regular police establishments, he said.

"A commission would be set up to make recommendations for reform of the police administration to make it a more effective and humane instrument for investigation of crimes and for enforcement of law and order.

"Where the government deems that some special powers need to be retained, it would ensure, by instituting careful and transparent pre-screening and monitoring procedures, that such powers are used sparingly and those entrusted with them are held accountably for any misuse," he said.

The Mufti congratulated Congress president Sonia Gandhi. "Even though she was under tremendous pressure from the party, she stood above her party interest. In the national interest she took the historical decision [to back down on the issue of chief ministership]."

He claimed that the objective of the coalition government would be to "heal the physical, psychological and emotional wounds inflicted by fourteen years of militancy".

The Mufti vowed to "restore the rule of law in the J&K state; to complete the revival of the political process, which was begun by the recently concluded elections, and to request the Centre to initiate and hold, sincerely and seriously, wide-ranging consultations and dialogue, without conditions, with the members of the legislature and other segments of public opinion in all the three regions of the state".

The PDP leader said, "Restoration of dignity of all persons in the state would be the foremost concern of the government, which would take all possible measures within its power to protect all the people in the state from violence and militancy, whether originating from within or outside the state."

The government will "encourage young men who have resorted to militancy to return to their families and the mainstream, with the belief that they would receive security and justice according to law", he said.

He assured that the government would cooperate with the Centre in combating cross-border terrorism.

Among those who attended the press conference were Congress leaders Manmohan Singh and Arjun Singh, Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh and PDF leader Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami.

Manmohan Singh said, "It is our sincere belief that to usher a new beginning, a new sphere of peace and normalcy and in the interest of all the three regions of the state -- Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh -- our government would work ceaselessly... It would work unitedly to remove poverty and unemployment."

While admitting that some time was taken in cobbling up a coalition, he said, "our objective was to provide to the state a strong, purposeful, cohesive and stable government that would face the extraordinary situation keeping the interests of all the regions."

Bhim Singh said that in the interest of peace in Jammu and Kashmir, he had decided to go with the Congress decision to hand over the chief ministership to the PDP. Earlier, he had refused to be part of a PDP-led government.

The mandate was for change, Tarigami said, adding, "give the coalition a chance to make some breakthrough in the deadlocked political situation in the state."

The CMP that was released said all cases of custodial killings and violence of human rights would be investigated and persons responsible for them would be identified and punished.

The government will strengthen the state human rights commission to make it an effective instrument for addressing the grievances of the people of the state, it said.

Pledging to formulate a comprehensive relief and rehabilitation package for families affected by terrorism over the past decade, the CMP promised to double the ex-gratia relief to Rs 200,000.

It promised to implement special schemes to rehabilitate former militants who have given up the path of violence.

The government will also reach out to children, widows and parents of the deceased militants and try to provide education to the militancy-affected orphans, it said.

Regarding Kashmiri Pandits, the CMP said, "The government would seek the cooperation of all elements in the society to create an atmosphere conducive to their safe return and would take all necessary steps to ensure their safety and devise effective measures for their rehabilitation and employment."

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