NEW DELHI: Is separatism in Jammu and Kashmir all about money?
According to a US cable from 2006, separatists want to keep the pot boiling for their own profit.
“Yasin (Malik) should give up a month of his Pakistani salary to compensate the families of boys killed in Bilal’s (Lone) home area by the Army, instead of urging the parents not to take Indian compensation and jobs,” moderate Hurriyat Conference leader Bilal Lone had allegedly told a US political counsellor in April 2006, revealing the state of affairs among the separatist leaders who hogged the limelight in the backdrop of the now cancelled India-Pakistan NSA level dialogue.
Unrealistic Posturing Killed Talks: Separatists The separatist leaders, whose proposed meetings with Pakistan National Security Adviser (NSA) Sartaj Aziz in the national capital led to the cancellation of Indo-Pak NSA-level talks on Saturday night, have held India responsible for the calling-off of dialogue while J&K Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has expressed hope that the break will be temporary. |
“Nobody we spoke to (separatists) bothered to mention autonomy or troop withdrawal, leading us to conclude that the rhetoric among the separatists regarding those demands is largely for public consumption because their realisation is so remote,” the cable dated April 7 said.
The cable exposed the claims of separatists that they represented the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“A recurring theme throughout all of our interactions with Kashmiris is how Indian and Pakistani money made all Kashmiri political actors dependent on handouts,” the cable signed by the then US Ambassador to India David Mulford said.
67 Terrorists Neutralised amid Ceasefire Breach Amid the recent spate in ceasefire violations and terror strikes this year, security forces neutralised 67 terrorists in the Valley, government sources said. In 2014, the forces had neutralised 110 terrorists operating in Jammu and Kashmir. |
The cable said Bilal was especially dismissive of extremist separatist S A S Geelani.
Bilal said Geelani continued to act on instructions from across the border to sow seeds of discord and fear, along with violence and murder. The cable also revealed that JKLF chief Malik was in regular touch with Pakistan-based terrorists.
“Kashmiri politics is no longer about ideology, it is all a money game,” the cable quoting Malik said.