NC seeks probe into spike in Valley attacks since Omar’s swearing-in

Srinagar, Nov 2 (PTI) The ruling National Conference (NC) on Saturday sought an inquiry into the spike in terrorist attacks in the Valley since Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was sworn in, saying some elements were trying to destabilise an elected government.

"Violence is taking place. There should be an investigation into it. Those involved should be arrested alive. We will get to know who is doing it because there are attempts to defame us," NC president Farooq Abdullah said at a function here.

He questioned why such attacks are on the rise after the NC formed the government in Jammu and Kashmir. The NC chief also said he apprehended that some elements were trying to destabilise the J-K government led by his son Omar Abdullah.

"There should be an investigation as to know how these are taking place after government formation. I have doubts that perhaps it is being done by those who want to destabilise this government. Why were not these taking place before? Why are they happening now? There should be an independent inquiry," he added.

He said the peaceful assembly election was a big achievement for the people of Kashmir, and it united the entire community.

"We need to remain united, keeping our egos aside. Enemies are trying to attack us from all sides but we have to fight them," he said.

Asked if he believed Pakistan was responsible for the attacks, Farooq Abdullah reiterated that an investigation should be conducted into the rise in such incidents after the recently-concluded assembly elections.

"Rather than killing them (perpetrators), they should be caught and asked who is behind them. We should check if any agency is trying to destabilise Omar Abdullah (government)," the NC chief added.

His remarks come amid a spate in terror incidents in the Valley since the formation of the NC government in the UT.

On Saturday, four security personnel were injured in an encounter in the Khanyar area here on Saturday. Following the attack, security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the densely populated locality of Khanyar in the interior city and killed a top Pakistani commander of the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) who was active in the Valley for several years, according to officials.

Meanwhile, NC's alliance partner Congress also raised suspicion over the timing of the attacks in the valley.

"It is a matter of grave concern and the timing of it is actually very suspicious because we had very peaceful elections. Before the elections, we had a very peaceful time, and immediately after the elections, all this has started," J-K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra told PTI Videos here.

Karra called for a holistic and inclusive approach to handle the matters of security.

"When LG Manoj Sinha took the security review, I said that time also that it has to be a holistic, inclusive approach like the state government and LG's office should work in tandem," he said.

"On the contrary, things are going crossroads. I don't find a kind of a congenial environment between the two. It is not in the interest of people and the national interest," the Congress leader said.

"Instead of going for one-upmanship, national interest has to be kept paramount as we have very hostile neighbours," Karra added.

The J-K Pradesh Congress chief expressed apprehensions that the spike in the violence would impact the restoration of statehood to J-K.

"What we have been hearing from Delhi is that if statehood is granted back to us, it would be an amended state and some vital departments need to be retained. I hope it is not that. I think the situation is getting created for that," he said.

"We will not accept the half-cooked statehood", Karra said, adding, "We need a full, complete statehood. But, I think something is fishy about it. I am not able to explain it right now, but something is not going the right way." Earlier, the lieutenant governor, prime minister, home minister, and the BJP, all used to say that statehood is round the corner, but now the same BJP is saying the atmosphere is not congenial, the Congress leader said.

"So, the suspicion now is that who is creating this non congenial atmosphere. It needs to be looked into," he added. PTI