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Indian Home Minister Reviews Kashmir Security

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, June 11: The Indian Home Minister, P Chidambaram, who arrived on a two-day visit to Kashmir on Thursday, asked the controlling officers of police and paramilitary to work out a strategy for gradual substitution of paramilitary personnel by policemen in the essential duties that should ordinarily be performed by the Police.

The Indian Home minister arrived in Srinagar on Thursday morning to review the Kashmir situation following the protests and strike over the rape and murder of two Kashmiri women allegedly by Indian soldiers.

Immediately after landing in Kashmir, the Home Minister chaired a meeting of Unified Command Headquarters. The chief minister Omar Abdullah, top army, police, paramilitary and civil officials were present in the meeting.

The Indian Home minister said India is solidly behind the Kashmir government in its endeavour to create a stable and secure environment in the region, that will be the prerequisite for development.

He stressed strict adherence to Standing Operating Procedures (SOP) and Code of Conduct for the uniformed forces. "The senior officers of various uniformed forces must acquaint their rank and file of the provisions of the code of conduct and ensure that the field officers and soldiers don't transgress these while performing their duties," he said.

Stating that the duties assigned to the security forces and the police are well-defined, the Home Minister said while Army and paramilitary forces are tasked to perform security-related duties, the police should perform all the essential police functions relating to maintenance of law and order.

Speaking during the meeting, the Chief Minister said that his government attaches the highest importance to the protection of human rights and directions in this regard have been passed to all concerned to uphold human rights under all circumstances.

He said that the government, amongst other challenges, has presently the challenge of carrying forward and completing developmental projects within the limited working season. "We have to make our tourist season a success, smoothly conduct Hindu pilgrimage (Amarnath Yatra) and take care of the crucial academic session," he said, adding that peaceful and conducive atmosphere is imperative to achieve our developmental objectives.

Earlier, the Union Home Minister, after his arrival here this morning, had a one-to-one meeting with the Chief Minister which lasted over an hour. The two leaders discussed matters relating to security, law and order and development of the State.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.