A day after the government withdrew the security cover of four separatist leaders, former chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference, Molvi Abbas Ansari wrote to the Jammu and Kashmir Police asking them to withdraw his protection.
Police said they are yet to receive the communication.
Abbas Ansari, who is part of moderate Hurriyat Conference currently led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has been provided six police personnel including two personal security officers (PSOs) and a vehicle for his safety.
The letter written by Ansari’s personal secretary urged the senior superintendent of police, (security) to withdraw the protection provided by the government.
“We will not provide any kind of accommodation to the security personal henceforth,” it read.
A spokesman for Ansari said that police had sought more accommodation for their personnel on the security duty of the leader which he denied.
“We told them that on one hand you are withdrawing security of other leaders and on the other you are asking us for more accommodation. We wrote to them that we will not provide any kind of accommodation to the security personnel,” the spokesman said.
Additional director general of police (ADGP), security, Muneer Khan said that they have not received any communication as yet. “When I receive it, I will withdraw the security,” he said.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday withdrew the security cover of four Kashmiri separatists, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, following a suicide attack in Pulwama on a CRPF convoy that killed 40 troopers on February 14.
Besides the Hurriyat chairman, the security details of Abdul Gani Bhat, Bilal Lone and Shabir Shah were also withdrawn, according to an official order issued in Srinagar.
The Peoples’ Democratic Party has termed the move “hasty”. “Withdrawal of security to separatist leaders is a hasty step and will not yield much,” said PDP youth president, Waheed Para.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh had issued a veiled warning to the separatist leaders on Friday saying officials were asked to review the security provided to those “who take money from Pakistan and ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence)”.
A Hurriyat statement dismissed the significance of the government’s decision. “With or without these police personnel at Hurriyat residence, all remains the same. Whenever the issue has been made centre stage, Mirwaiz has repeatedly said from the pulpit of Jamia Masjid that the government can withdraw it.”
The Mirwaiz was provided protection after his father was assassinated in 1990.
On Monday, many young men volunteered for the security of the Mirwaiz, the leader’s party Awami Action Committee (JKAAC) said.
AAC tweeted pictures of “hundreds of boys swarming” the party headquarters at Mirwaiz Manzil in old city to register for Mirwaiz’s personal security.
“Moved by the love and affection of these young men, my gratitude to their selfless love,” Mirwaiz tweeted.
Joint Resistance leader Farooq, Bhat, Lone and Ansari are part of the moderate faction of All Parties Hurriyat Conference. In 2004, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government held talks with these leaders, then under the headship of Ansari on over the Kashmir issue.
Hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani does not have any government security and has intermittently been under house since 2010. Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik also does not have any security cover.
First Published: Feb 18, 2019 19:15 IST
Source: HindustanTimes