- RAW Ex-boss slams Modi govt for its failure in IOK
SRINAGAR, May 6: Indian forces cordoned off more than 20 villages in Shopian district of Occupied Kashmir, Indian media reported on Thursday, in the wake of a surge in rebel attacks on the occupying forces in recent weeks.
According to NDTV, more than 3,000 personnel of the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force and Jammu and Kashmir police were involved in the search operation launched early Thursday morning.
“Over 30 companies of Indian forces have besieged villages in Shopian since 3 am looking for armed fighters,” IoK local Faysal tweeted.
A few days ago, similar raids were carried out at various places in Kulgam, as well as adjoining Shopian following a tip off about the presence of two people suspected of involvement in the killing of seven people including five Indian policemen, according to a report by the Press Trust of India.
On April 22, Indian troops martyred two Kashmiri youth in Budgam district of the occupied valley. According to Kashmir Media Service, the youth were martyred during a siege and search operation at Hayatpora area of Chadoora in the district.
Innocent civilians were beaten by Indian troops during the operation, which led to clashes between Indian troops and the youth, locals reported.
Meanwhile, India’s former intelligence chief has slammed Narendra Modi-led government for its failure to anticipate and address the recent uprising in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IOK), Indian media reported on Thursday.
“Let me say that we have invited Pakistan back into the valley. Kashmiris hibernate in winter… That’s the best time to engage Kashmiris. We didn’t… Now children are out on the streets… Modiji had an edge when he came to power. But talks didn’t happen,” AS Dulat, ex-chief of Research & Analysis Wing (RAW), India’s premier spy agency, said.
Blaming Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for failing to engage disgruntled Kashmiris, Dulat said leaders in New Delhi think talks are not necessary. “They think they [Kashmiris] have been pampered a lot.” In response to a question if the Indian government was not pampering the Kashmiris because Hindu nationalists in the BJP might not like it, the ex-RAW chief said: “Of course. You know that. I don’t want to go into it,” The Indian Express quoted him as saying.
Talking about the situation in IOK, Dulat said, “The sad part, frightening part and really scary part of Kashmir is that these boys and girls with stones in their hands don’t seem to care what their parents feel.”
“Because of alienation and the anger of youth, young Kashmiri minds have gone out of control. There is a sense of hopelessness. They aren’t afraid to die. Villagers, students and even girls are coming out on the streets. This has never happened in the past,” he added.
Criticising New Delhi for not engaging in a comprehensive dialogue process with Islamabad, the ex-spy master questioned why India was afraid to talk about Kashmir. “They have more explaining to do. I agree Mojidi started well. He surprised all of us by going to Pakistan. The snag here is what happened after it… Our stand that talk and terror can’t go together is also meaningless vis-à-vis Pakistan… We have to talk disregarding incidents here and there.”-Agencies/Online
