SRINAGAR: Pro-Pakistan Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani Tuesday said the Lashkar-e-Islam outfit, which has claimed responsibility for the recent attacks on mobile installations in the Valley, is the "brainchild of Indian agencies".
“A plot was formulated some months back by union home ministry for running this operation. We have evidence that the terror organisation (Lashkar-e-Islam) is the brainchild of Indian secret agencies. Its purpose is to harm and defame the freedom struggle, and to disturb the social setup and economy of the state,” Geelani said.
His remarks come after the Union Home Ministry issued an advisory on Tuesday, asking the state government to ensure the safety of telecom infrastructure across the state.
Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed also held a review meeting in capital Srinagar which was attended by top security officials of the state.
With over 50 percent mobiles without network across the state, the Chief Minister said that the "miscreants" won't be allowed to push the state into 'Stone Age'.
“People cannot be pushed into Stone Age as modern-day functioning in government, banking, tourism, education and other vital sectors are totally dependent on internet connectivity,” he said at the high level meeting here.
Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police, K Rajendra, said in the meeting that it will take over the security of mobile towers with the assistance of CRPF, wherever the need arises.
The police has blamed Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen for the attacks that have left two persons dead and at least five injured. Hizb has, however, denied its role.
Geelani said his Hurriyat has got "evidence" which "authenticates" the claims of the Hizb chief, Syed Salahuddin, that Lashkar-e-Islam is the "creation of India".
"The emergence of Lashkar-e-Islam must be seen in the backdrop of union home minister Manohar Parrikar's statement that 'terrorists will be used to kill terrorists'. It proves the apprehensions of the people that the Ikhwani culture will again to be started in Jammu and Kashmir but in any other form.”
“The architect of Ikhwanis in nineties who has earned his name in formulating conspiracies is today at the highest position in the policymakers in New Delhi. This notion can’t be outrightly rejected that the Lashkar-e-Islam is the creation of the same brain and once again he wants to play a bloody game in this troubled state and create an atmosphere of terror,” Geelani said.
He said that the "covert operation" is run by the Union Home Ministry which has kept the state administration and the state police in dark, 'as had happened in case of Al-Faran group' which kidnapped and later killed five European tourists.
"The state administration and the police were totally unaware about it (Al-Faran). Today’s operation is meant to damage the economical and social setup of the Kashmir, according to the reports received by the Hurriyat and pro-freedom leaders can be the target of this operation,” Geelani said.
“If any untoward incident happens with any pro-freedom leader, it will have serious consequences and all its responsibility will be on the home ministry,” Geelani said, adding, “This operation is also an attempt to cut-off and isolate the Kashmir from the outer world. India wants to keep the world community into dark about the human rights violations committed by its forces."
“According to government figures, there are few militants in J&K and they too are very cautious due to the strong spy network. Since the surfacing of the Lashkar-e-Islam, it seems there are militants everywhere who kill in broad daylight and threaten people, and army and police are totally unaware about this. This kind of bravery is only done by those persons who are either sponsored by the government or have any type of links with the secret agencies,” he said.
Meanwhile, an association of BSNL mobile phone tower landlords in Kashmir has decided to shut down transmission till June 10. "We have decided to close mobile phone towers till June 10 and we will not operate before this date," said a spokesman of Kashmir BSNL Tower Landlord Welfare Organization.