Srinagar, June 27: The National Conference led coalition government Sunday urged the union Home Minister P Chidambaram to visit Kashmir to “rein in” paramilitary CRPF which was “defying the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah’s orders and killing civilians.”
The development came barely a few hours after the CRPF troopers shot dead a youth while critically injuring another in Sopur on Sunday, triggering massive protests in the town.
“Delhi will have to listen to us if it has to protect its interests in Jammu and Kashmir. Five youth were killed in series and it is not a good thing. We are not ready to tolerate human rights violations,” the state Law Minister and senior NC leader, Ali Muhammad Sagar, told a hurriedly called press-conference here late evening.
Sagar described the firing by CRPF as unwarranted, saying some 20 youth had gathered in the Sopur town and there was no justification to open fire on them. “It was unwarranted on part of the CRPF and is sending wrong message to people,” he said.
Sagar said the government was already fighting separatists, and insurgency by militants was also being tackled. “But we can’t fight our own people who have voted us to power,” Sagar said.
He said the CRPF had lost command and control and the issue must be seriously looked into. “The Chief Minister being head of the Unified Command Council has given clear directions to forces operating in Jammu and Kashmir to exercise restraint and protect human rights. All this is happening despite the directives. This is not in the interest of the country. They are working against the interest of country and this should not happen at any cost. It will have dangerous ramifications,” Sagar said. “Only yesterday the Chief Minister ordered constitution of a commission, headed by the SHRC chairperson, to probe the killing of two civilians in Sopur last Friday. The commission is yet to begin the inquiry that another killing in the town has taken place. It is highly unfortunate.”
He said time had come when Delhi should take note of it and expose the black sheep who were creating trouble and adding fuel to the fire. “Coalition government is not a dictatorship. We want to run the government with dignity,” he added.
He said if the CRPF was part of the Unified Command they should have obeyed the CM’s orders.
Elaborating, he said, the CRPF Special DG should be posted in Srinagar as the forces have large concentration here. “Instead he is in Jammu and there seems to be no control over the forces,” he added.
Saying enough is enough, Sagar however said the Government had not failed. “There are clear directions that innocent killings shouldn’t take place,” he added.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 27 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 27 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST