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Government denies J&K Sikhs had warned it of attack

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

The Union home ministry today denied that villagers of Chatti Singhpora had met Lal Kishenchand Advani a few days before 35 Sikhs were massacred there on March 20.

"I can tell you categorically that no delegation from this village met the home minister. Of course a delegation of Sikhs from the valley met the home minister, but they had come to talk about employment and other problems. If at any point of time we had had an inkling that the residents of this village would become the target of militants, we would have taken prompt preventive measures," T R Kakkar, special secretary in charge of Jammu and Kashmir, told rediff.com

Kakkar also denied reports that there had been intelligence failure on the part of the security forces deployed in the valley. "I would not say that. Since these people had been living there for years and years without any problems, we became complacent and overlooked their security needs. This is the first incident of its nature that has taken place in the valley where Sikhs were singled out and massacred."

Kakkar regretted that some vested interests are trying to make political capital of the situation and making all sorts of allegations, with some wanting an 'impartial' probe. "We are looking into reports that the villagers of Chatti Singhpora were on friendly terms with the militants. We have also read reports that the villagers used to give them food and shelter," he said.

Of 115 villages in the Anantnag belt, the government has already provided security to about 40 that were identified as vulnerable. "We are asking them to form village defence committees so we give them arms and ammunition for self-defence. Today we may give them security, but when the paramilitary forces move out to another place, the villagers should be able to defend themselves. I have 500 rifles to be given to village defence committees on the lines of those we had in Punjab. If this could succeed in Punjab, why should it not succeed in J&K?" he said.

Kakkar praised the Sikhs living in other parts of the India for showing solidarity with their brothers and sisters in the valley. "I must compliment both the Sikhs and the Hindus for raising their voice against this dastardly act. This must have sent a clear and loud message to the militants that the Sikhs will not leave the valley and let them [the militants] succeed in their designs."

Kakkar said it was not in the nature of Sikhs to turn and run from a battle. "Besides, is it easy to settle down elsewhere? These villagers have been living in the valley for generations and have become part of the state's culture. I hope they change their minds and stay on."

In all there are 85,000 Sikhs living in about 4,800 villages in the valley. An equal number lives in the Jammu region of the state. Despite large-scale migration by the Kashmiri Pandits, the Sikhs had so far lived in the valley without much trouble.

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