J&K ‘healing’ touch: Govt to keep hands off, for now

The meeting was described by PMO officials as a ‘‘courtesy call’’ but Sayeed emerged from it confident that New Delhi would not create obstacles for him. He was given a clear assurance of cooperation.

While the extent of that cooperation will reveal itself in the coming months, there are indications that the Centre was informally briefed about some of the steps the new state government intended to take. Congress sources confirmed that when the Common Minimum Programme for the coalition government was being thrashed out, their senior leaders were in touch with PMO aides.

The Centre’s attitude is prompted by the perception that having proved to the people of Kashmir and the international community that the elections were ‘‘free and fair’’, it should now refrain from doing anything that could undermine the elected government.

In fact, the PM’s Kashmir initiative has now been handed over to Sayeed whose people-friendly approach is usurping valuable political space that once belonged to the Hurriyat.

Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani’s comments to PTI today hinted at the caution the Centre has decided to exercise in its approach to the J & K Government. In fact, his subdued reaction to the release of Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik was in sharp contrast to the BJP’s shrill criticism today.

When asked by PTI whether the Centre had any concerns about the release, he said, ‘‘Basically, I am more concerned that the state government and the central government fully cooperate in dealing with cross-border terrorism which is a serious problem.’’ He evaded criticising the Sayeed Government’s actions. Instead, he suggested that the PDP-led government could appoint an empowered committee to screen cases before releasing prisoners.

BJP spokesman Arun Jaitley, on the other hand, came down heavily on the Sayeed Government and threw in some harsh criticism of the Congress for good measure as well. ‘‘The decision to release people in such large numbers sends a negative signal and undermines the entire effort to fight insurgency and terror,’’ he said, adding, ‘‘The Congress is either a mute spectator or an active participant and it is regrettable that the party which had won a majority of its seats on a strong anti-terrorism plank is choosing to be a participant in this terror friendly exercise.’’

Defending the J & K Government’s decisions, a Congress spokesman pointed out that all the prisoners had been released on parole. ‘‘The charges against them remain and they will be looked into,’’ he said.

He also cautioned that a distinction had to be drawn between prisoners who are terrorists sponsored from across the borders, that is foreign mercenaries, and those who form part of the alienated sections in the Valley who need to be drawn back into the mainstream.