Srinagar, Dec 11: Expressing shock over attack on Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Ali Muhammad Sagar, senior National Conference (NC) leader Dr Mustafa Kamaal Sunday said “militancy has died and it is being kept alive for a purpose, and militants cannot be blamed for everything.”  
 “You cannot blame militants for everything. Where are they? People know very well who can plan such ghastly attacks. New Delhi cannot befool people anymore,” Kamaal told Greater Kashmir this evening.  
 “If militants are behind these attacks they should be identified. Security agencies and army should explain how militants appear in the city,” Kamaal said.
 “Why didn’t any such attack took place in old city earlier? Why did it happen when talks were on about the possibility of controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) being lifted from some areas in the old city as it didn’t witness any militancy related incident for many years.”     
 Kamaal said anyone including army, separatists and Peoples Democratic Party could be behind such attacks. “People with vested interests want to keep the pot boiling. Army has been opposing AFSPA revocation tooth and nail. Separatists know if AFSPA is revoked they will have to close their shop and Mufti Muhammad Sayeed is the last person who wants Omar to get credit for AFSPA revocation from the state.”     
 “Army has got unbridled powers and they can do anything till AFSPA is here. AFSPA allows them to do anything,” he added.
 Pertinently, Dr Kamaal was asked by the National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah to resign from the posts of Additional General Secretary and Chief Spokesman of the party last month after he launched scathing attack on army and Congress. Kamaal after a series of grenade attacks in the Valley on October 25 this year had said, “Finger of suspicion points towards army as they don’t want AFSPA to be revoked.”
 Later he had launched a scathing attack on Congress led UPA government at the centre for what he termed “interfering in affairs of state government.”

Lastupdate on : Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 IST