J-K Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today sought an assurance of full support from the Prime Minister even as his government braces to take up its first major challenge in the wake of rising militant strikes in the state.Mufti, who has been indisposed for a few days, met Vajpayee for about 15 minutes before leaving for Jammu today. ‘No Kashmiri behind attack on Parliament’ Srinagar: The Hurriyat Conference on Monday said that it will give up the freedom struggle if it is proved that the attack on Parliament and the J-K Assembly was perpetrated by Kashmiris. Hurriyat chairman Abdul Gani Bhat demanded an international probe to expose the ‘‘real perpetrators’’ of all such attacks, including those on temples in the state. Such a probe, he said, was needed as neither India nor Pakistan can expose the real culprits. He alleged that the attacks were premeditated to help India at the international level: ‘‘If Kashmiris are involved in the Parliament attack or the one on J-K Assembly, we will leave the freedom struggle. Attacks on democratic institutions can’t be allowed.” — ENS Sources said the Chief Minister told Vajpayee that he ‘‘needs his (Prime Minister’s) protection and support.’’ Mufti’s allusion was obviously to the rhetoric of the VHP and other affiliates of the BJP that have been raking up the issue of his government releasing prisoners.Mufti told Vajpayee that the Centre needs to see that all these incidents have generated public resentment as thousands of mourners raised slogans against the killers. He, according to sources, suggested that ‘‘the situation needs to be politically utilised.’’ A spokesman for Mufti told The Indian Express that the Chief Minister had asked the Prime Minister to ‘‘evolve a political package’’ for the state so that the public mood can be translated into a positive wave. ‘‘He (Mufti) brought to Vajpayee’s notice the ground realities that call for a united response and consensus of the state and Central governments,’’ the spokesman said.
