J-K unleashes ex-militants on Opp: Azad

The state is creating a militia of surrendered militants called the National Defence Force to terrorise Opposition workers out of the coming...

The state is creating a militia of surrendered militants called the National Defence Force to terrorise Opposition workers out of the coming Assembly polls, the Congress has said.

State Congress chief Ghulam Nabi Azad told The Indian Express ‘‘this new National Defence Force (NDF) was raised for preventing the participation of Opposition party workers in the electoral process’’.

Around 2,000 men have joined the NDF, he said. ‘‘In fact, they have initiated operations in Anantnag. Their method is simple: masquerade as militants and threaten our activists.’’

Azad alleged that the CM’s Principle Secretary B.R. Singh had created the NDF after splitting the Ikhwan, the largest counter-insurgent group in Kashmir. ‘‘Altaf Paddar of Kulgam, Mussarat Bilal of Anantnag, Abdul Hameed Rather, Bitti Chan of Achabal, Mohammad Sultan of Aaripora are the leaders of this group in south Kashmir,’’ he said. ‘‘They launched their operations from Opposition strongholds Kokkernag and Bijbehara.’’ The NDF members, he said, are paid Rs 4,500 as salary every month.

He did not spare the J-K Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) either. J&K ‘‘They are arresting our people and framing them in cases of militancy. This is being done to settle political scores,’’ Azad said.

The Congress, he said, has demanded that the Election Commission prevent the state from using SOG and stop NDF. ‘‘Free and fair election is the issue. There is fear in the minds of all in Kashmir that elections would be rigged.’’

‘‘A fair election is important to put in place a new government and would be an essential step to restore normality in Kashmir. If elections are free, 90 per cent of the internal problems would automatically be resolved,’’ he said.

Story continues below this ad

The Congress demanded that all presiding officers and polling staff be brought from outside the state. ‘‘It does not mean we don’t have faith in local employees and officers. But we know they — even IAS officers — cannot withstand government pressure,’’ Azad said. ‘‘The ruling party would make their life difficult otherwise.’’