BJP National Executive Member & J&K Chief Spokesperson Dr. Jitendra Singh has expressed concern over the Intelligence reports that Pakistan is closely tracking former militants in Jammu and Kashmir as a part of its revised strategy to use them to revive dwindling local support for militancy. Denouncing the National Conference - Congress coalition government in J&K for its flawed "Rehabilitation" policy for former militants, Dr. Jitendra Singh said here today, even as this policy has disastrously led to around 400 persons illegally entering into the State without any screening or verification via Nepal, which is not a notified route according to the policy itself, there are, in addition, disturbing reports about thousands of released former militants walking the streets of Kashmir after having completed prison term or out on bail, but who are not yet ideologically compromised, and may therefore pose threat as potential trouble-makers to usurp peace in the Valley and elsewhere. This could also be linked to the ISI design to push Afghan militants into J&K after US withdrawal next year, he warned.
Dr Jitendra Singh cautioned that unless ideologically reformed, these former militants are not only capable of fomenting trouble but could also radicalize the next generation of Kashmiri youth. A major problem with most of these released militants is that they possess little education and low employability credential coupled with huge incompatibility of "attitude", he said.According to Intelligence evidence, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Pakistan ISI is already desperate to revive dwindling local support for militancy by engaging former militants and educated youth who are well versed in latest hi-tech methods of communication like "Voice over Internet Protocol"(VoIP) and modern weaponry. In a scenario like this, former militants and the indoctrinated youth comprise potential target groups for the revised Pak strategy, he added.Dr Jitendra Singh also pointed out that "rehabilitation" policy announced by the Govt envisaged following three broad prerequisites for the “ex-militants” to qualify for rehabilitation- a) “Giving up of insurgent activities” b) “Change of heart” and c) “Willingness to return to the state”. But, he said, unfortunately, by default or more possibly by deliberate design, none of these prerequisites has been followed either in case of former militants returning from PoK or in case of militants left at large in the society after completion of their prison term. Moreover, the govt policy itself suggested that each of the former militants shall be, before rehabilitation, placed under supervision and surveillance for three months at counselling centres but again, this practice too was never followed either in case of former militants returning from PoK or former militants released after having completed their jail term, he added.Significantly, many of these former militants have also been recruited into State police force without adequate verification, he said.
The risk of terrorism revival apart, Dr Jitendra Singh said, there are several other collateral questions waiting for an answer. Does this not carry a negative message, he asked, for over 7 lakh unemployed youth of the state, as also the West Pak and PoK refugees as well as internally displaced Kashmiri Pandits, who were never involved in militancy nor did they venture across the border for any arms training. The most dangerous question, therefore, is does this not amount to the State offering a premium on militancy, he asked.