J&K chorus: peace process is target

Hizbul Mujahideen described the attack as ‘‘anti-Hindu and anti-Muslim, aimed at provoking riots’’. The operations chief of the Hizb, Gazi Mesbah-ud-Din, who called newspaper offices here soon after the attack, in fact, pointed fingers at ‘‘Hindu extremists’’ and the ‘‘tussle within the Sangh Parivar’’. The conglomerate of all Jihadi groups, United Jihad Council, too, distanced itself from the attack, calling it a ‘‘conspiracy hatched by Hindu extremists’’. A spokesman of UJC Syed Sadakat Hussain claimed that no militant outfit can be responsible for this attack. ‘‘The aim of this attack is to create communal riots,’’ he said.

The separatist leader and chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, too, condemned the attack. ‘‘When Babri Masjid was demolished, we condemned that, terming it fascism. Similarly, there is no justification for this attack.’’ He, however, said it was premature to put the blame on anybody. ‘‘This attack can be a fake encounter too,’’ he said. ‘‘Anybody, who calls himself a Mujahid can’t do it.’’

Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front leader Yasin Malik too denounced it, saying that attacks on religious places were unacceptable.

The Hurriyat doves, in fact, went a step ahead, saying the attack was aimed at derailing the Indo-Pak peace process. ‘‘Our religion does not allow attack on any religious place, be it a mandir, masjid or gurdwara,’’ former Chairman Abbas Ansari said. ‘‘It is the handiwork of agencies which don’t want to see progress in Indo-Pak ties. These people (behind this attack) are also against Hindu-Muslim unity.’’ Ansari demanded a thorough probe to determine the identity of the attackers. ‘‘It needs to be seen how they (attackers) managed to sneak in despite such a heavy security cordon,’’ he said.

There is a reason for the sharp reactions from the separatist and militant groups operating in the Valley distancing themselves from the attack. An extremely controversial and sensitive issue related to Hindu-Muslim relations in the country since Partition, the Ramjanambhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute has never been part of any separatist argument in Kashmir. In fact, the lukewarm response from the separatist leadership on this issue is always viewed as a symbol to assert the separate identity of Kashmiris from the Indian Muslims.

Thus any attack to ‘‘avenge the Babri Masjid demolition’’ does not fit in the separatist agenda, especially of those who claim Kashmir to be an unfinished task of Partition because of its Kashmiri Muslim majority demographic character.

Another reason for these swift condemnations, even from the all-powerful militant conglomerate, UJC, is the timing of the attack. Indo-Pak relations are at a critical juncture and any violent act that can jeopardize the peace process is also viewed as detrimental to the interests of the Pakistani establishment, especially President Pervez Musharraf, thus putting the attackers in direct confrontation with Islamabad as well.

Though the security agencies in the Valley are silently monitoring the details, there is a view that the attack does not have a direct link with Kashmir or Kashmiri militants. ‘‘It is highly unlikely that local Kashmiri militants are involved,’’ a senior police officer said. ‘‘Our suspicion, however, is about foreigners.’’

The security agencies too are clear regarding the aim behind the attack. ‘‘This is a provocation for mayhem,’’ a senior officer said. ‘‘And if these terrorists would have managed to succeed, it would have ignited massive communal riots and also disrupted the recent thaw in Indo-Pak relations.’’