Fissures in BJP over govt decision on ex gratia for unrest victims’ kin

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 12

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s decision to give Rs 5 lakh compensation and government jobs to the next of kin of stone-throwers killed during summer unrest in Kashmir has created fissures within the BJP. Saffron party leaders are blaming its ministers in the coalition for their failure to oppose this “highly controversial” decision.

Fearing that the decision has the potential to boomerang in the party’s bastion, the Jammu region, the panic-stricken BJP leaders have convened a meeting of party’s state office-bearers on January 14 to discuss the issue.

“A meeting the state office-bearers of the party will be held on January 14 to discuss the prevailing political situation. They will also discuss the decision of the state government to give ex gratia to kin of youth killed during action taken by the security forces to restore peace in the Valley,” said a senior BJP leader, who did not wish to be quoted.

Mehbooba, while winding up debate on the Governor’s address on the floor of the Assembly on Monday, had announced the decision on the compensation. She had also announced setting up of district-level special investigation teams (SITs) to probe the unrest killings. While the Jammu-based opposition parties like the Panthers Party has termed the compensation as “premium for separatism”, the BJP’s own MLAs have also opposed the decision of the government on the floor of the Assembly.

On Wednesday, BJP lawmakers Ravinder Raina and Rajeev Sharma vociferously opposed the decision. The duo warned that the decision would demoralise the security forces fighting proxy war in the Kashmir valley.

Fearing that its political rivals would exploit the decision in the Jammu region by raking up sentiments of the people, the BJP leadership called for a meeting of its office-bearers to devise a strategy on the issue.

There is also the apprehension that due to pressure from supporters some more BJP legislators could come forward to criticise their party ministers for “demoralising the security forces”. Panthers Party leader Harsh Dev Singh has already accused the BJP-PDP government of glorifying militants and subversives. He had questioned the rationale behind the compensation and government jobs for kin of stone-throwers who had waged a war against the state and security forces in Kashmir.