Jaitley defends Centre’s ‘muscular’ policy in J&K

Says it is necessary to protect rights of ordinary citizens

Union Minister Arun Jaitley defended the Central government’s policy, termed “muscular” by Opposition parties, in dealing with the Kashmir issue, saying “terrorists have to be dealt with firmly to protect human rights of ordinary citizens.”

In a post on Facebook, the Minister, who is convalescing after a kidney replacement surgery, asked whether fidayeens who were ready to die and kill should be dealt through satyagraha (Mahatma Gandhi’s chosen form of passive resistance and non-cooperation). “A terrorist who refuses to surrender and refuses a ceasefire offer, has to be dealt with as anybody taking law in his own hand. This is not ‘muscular’. It is the rule of law,” he wrote.

Mr. Jaitley said that while an elected government, a dialogue with the people, a humane approach towards the average Kashmiri is the ultimate object of the Indian State with which few can disagree, “every Indian” was also concerned with who can hold the country together.

“At times, we get caught in the idioms that we create. One such phrase is ‘muscular policy in Kashmir’. To deal with a killer is also a law and order issue. It can't await a political solution,” he said.

He said the policy that should be followed in Kashmir has to be to protect the ordinary citizen of the Valley; get him freedom from the terror; provide him with a better quality of life and environment. “It is paramount to protect India’s sovereignty and the right to life of its citizens,” he said.

‘Maoist sponsored’

Speaking on some human rights organisations, Mr. Jaitley said “Maoist sponsored human rights organisations only espouse the cause of separatism and violence be it Kashmir or Chhattisgarh, and have brought a bad name to a very precious and valuable concept of human rights.”

“Our policy has to be to save the Human Rights of every Indian be it a tribal or a Kashmiri from terrorists,” he said.