SHIMLA, Aug 10: Confirming hard intelligence reports about increased movement of Kashmiri militants in the Chamba area since 1991, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal today charged the previous Congress government of ignoring the warning signals and treating the situation with extreme callousness.Dhumal, who briefed the media persons after the state cabinet meeting quoted past intelligence reports to justify his charge. He alleged that previous government had withdrawn entire additional police deployment and also had closed down some of the special police check posts set-up in the area.The state government, he said, was reviewing the whole matter at highest level to know as to why the three companies of the India Reserve Police Battalion (IRPB) were withdrawn in November 1997 despite serious threat perceptions. These companies were later placed at the disposal of the Centre for no reason.The Chief Minister said the state cabinet discussed the law and order situation, in the wake of Chamba massacre and resolved to deal with renewed militancy threat effectively and ``very strongly''. In this regard a major headway had already been made in a high level meeting at Chandigarh.``The intelligence informations will be exchanged on daily basis with Jammu and Kashmir and coordinated approach would be followed to flush out militants from remote Chamba areas, he said. He, however, declined to give micro-details of the action plan saying ``top confidentiality'' was required to be maintained for this. He did not rule out possibility of restructuring and overhauling of the police set-up in the state.Dhumal, however, launched blistering counter-offensive against Congress. He said, ``The BJP-HVC Government on return to power had taken some setps to prevent militants infliteration''. Dhumal maintained that there was no specific information from the state or Central intelligence about militants plan to strike against 35 labourers in Tissa area. It was basically the lapse of the previous Congress government which had allowed the situation to assume such a gravity.Giving sequence of happenings, the Chief Minister said the movement of some suspected Kashmiri militants was first noticed in May 1991 and later also in 1992, particularly in Kehar, Sanghani, Langera and Tehlaka. Suitable steps were taken and some police posts were also sanctioned. The activities increased in 1993, when four cases against TADA, four others relating to robbery and one attempt to murder was registered. Two police constables and one militant were also killed same year in militant-related violence. The government sent 130 armed police personnel and took other measures also.There was a further step-up in the activities in 1994 confirming the intelligence reports. Two CRPF battalions and three companies of other forces were sent, which remained till October 1994. These were later replaced by Punjab commandoes and three companies of India Reserve Battalion. There were reports about some local Gujjars harbouring the militants and some Madarasas being run in the area. The intelligence agencies alerted the state government and proposed some actions but for political reasons, little was done.The Chief Minister recalled his own warning to the state government about infiltrations and possibility of militants striking in the area but his statement was contradicted by then Minister of State Asha Kumari, who described the statement as ``political motivated and baseless''.Dhumal said his government had already taken up matter with the Centre and was taking steps to do the needful. He did not agree with suggestion to shift some families to safe areas and assured that their safety would be ensured.
