Not wanting to let go of the momentum gained on Jammu and Kashmir after the visit of an all-party delegation to the state,the Centre today rolled out a slew of measures ranging from appointment of a group of interlocutors to begin a sustained dialogue with all sections of people,release of youth held for stone-pelting,to a review of the deployment of security forces in the Valley. Stating that he had prepared and submitted a report to the Prime Minister following his meeting with the all-party delegation post its visit to the state,Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said that it was based on that report and some other information and inputs that the government had submitted some proposals to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS),following which todays decisions were taken. The CCS,which was earlier scheduled for next week,was brought forward to today,since the government did not want to delay announcing some measures. Chidambaram said that the decisions taken today will be communicated to the state government immediately and whatever the GoI has to do will be done in the days that will follow. We think that these steps should address the concerns of different sections of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,including protesters, Chidambaram said. Probably the most important decision taken today relates to the review of notification of areas as disturbed areas and scaling down of bunker and check-points in the Kashmir Valley. We will request the state government to immediately convene a meeting of the unified command and to review the deployment of security forces in the Kashmir Valley,especially Srinagar,with particular reference to de-scaling the number of bunkers,check-points etc. in Srinagar and other towns,and to review the notification of areas as disturbed areas, Chidambaram said. Asked if the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) will no longer be applicable in an area not notified as a disturbed area following the review,Chidambaram said,I think that there is a lot of misunderstanding about the Act which applies in J&K. The notifications have been made under the J&K Armed Forces Special Powers Act. However,as a matter of prudence and practice,these decisions are taken after the unified command advises the state government,and that is right. Therefore,we will request the state government to convene a meeting of the unified command and review their deployment,review the notifications. So let us wait for them to do the review first. On the implications of the review,he said,They will review the notification. They will decide which notifications have to be continued and which need not be continued. A review will take place first. Chidambaram said amendments to the AFSPA were not discussed in todays CCS meeting. The Government of India will appoint a group of interlocutors under the chairmanship of an eminent person to begin the process of a sustained dialogue with all sections of the people of Jammu & Kashmir,including political parties and groups,youth and student organisations,civil society organisations and other stakeholders, Chidambaram said. The Minister said the Centre will advise the state government to immediately release all students and youth detained or arrested for stone-pelting or similar violations of law and to withdraw the charges against such students and youth. We will advise the state government to immediately review the cases of all PSA detenues and withdraw the detention orders in appropriate cases, he added. As of today,there are only 84 persons in judicial custody,110 persons in police custody and 51 persons detained under PSA as a result of the civil disturbances that began in June. So the total number or arrested or detained is only 245. I think its important that media puts out these numbers and to dispel the myth that thousands of people have been arrested or detained, the Minister said. He added that 108 persons had been killed in violence in the Valley since June. Another significant decision taken by the CCS today is that the Centre will provide a grant of Rs 5 lakh per person as ex-gratia relief to the families of those killed in the disturbances since June 11. The Centre,Chidambaram said,will also request the state government to take steps to immediately reopen all schools,colleges,universities and other educational institutions; hold special classes/lectures,if necessary; and to ensure that the examinations for the current academic year (2010-11) are conducted. The CCS has cleared the proposal to provide Rs 100 crore as Additional Central Assistance (ACA) to the state in order to make grants to schools and colleges for improvements and additions to the existing infrastructure such as classrooms,auditorium,laboratory,library,playground,toilet complex.
