SANA

NEW DELHI (SANA): Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram has described situation in occupied Kashmir as “very fragile” and called for its handling with “great care”.

Addressing a press conference to submit a report on the activities of his Ministry in the month of June, Chidambaram also said there was need to support the young Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in handling the situation.

Replying to questions on Kashmir, Home Minister said many people there work with different objectives. He said the situation where an ordinary incident can be blown up, demands “effective administrative” and “political intervention”.

“Kashmir is a place where there are many people with different objectives. Therefore, situation is very fragile and has to be handed with great care. Even a small incident has the capacity to be blown up into a major confrontation,” he added.

Giving a new twist to the Baramulla crisis, Chidambaram said that the incident which started off with eloping of a young girl with her lover to get married needs to be contained by effective administrative and political intervention”. He said a small incident like this in Kashmir leads to stone throwing, then tear gas shelling, firing and curfew.

“That is unfortunate. We have to handle the situation with great care. But I think Chief Minister did well asking his two ministers to visit Baramulla. He has also ordered an enquiry. He has now taken decision that Jammu and Kashmir police will take responsibility. Broadly, I am in agreement with the decision he has taken. We should support this CM in handling the situation,” he said.

Home Minister also confirmed that Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been ordered to return to barracks in Baramulla at the insistence of Chief Minister. “Yesterday Chief Minister telephoned me to say that he thinks that J&K police is ready to take over law and order responsibility in Baramulla and I said that is fine with us,” he revealed.
Asked about the increasing involvement of the CRPF in human rights abuses, Chidambaram insisted that Central forces whenever deployed in any state including Jammu and Kashmir work under the control of state police officers. “That is a fact you cannot ignore,” he said. He also refuted allegations that CRPF were using teargas shells normally used in wars and against terrorists to control public.

The Indian Home Minister said a decision has been taken to redraw the lines of responsibility among the Army, the para-military forces and the J&K Police to control law and order.ÿ He said Central government was in touch with Omar Abdullah government to allow us to withdraw CRPF companies as soon as state police was ready to take over. That will depend upon the judgment of J&K government and the state police when and how soon they will be able to take over greater responsibilities,” said Chidambaram.

He said the law was being reviewed by his Ministry, but no decision has been taken as yet, refuting reports that a phased revocation of this law was underway. “There have been suggestions from different quarters on its repeal or limiting its area of application or amendment. All this is under consideration. No decision has been taken yet,” he said.