Dissidents fuel Kishtwar again

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New Delhi: The ground assessment report of intelligence agencies regarding the ongoing clashes in the Kishtwar region submitted to the Union home ministry points towards the possible involvement of overground workers with links to separatist elements in the Kashmir Valley. The report also reveals that the state government had been warned of a “simmering discontent in the Kishtwar region that could snowball into violence”.
Home ministry sources admitted that prima facie it appears the state ignored the warning. The country’s top intelligence apparatus also suspects that the ISI could be fuelling violence through its network of OGWs and  underground operatives.
ISI known to fuel unrest
The Centre on Monday ruled out any terror or “external aggression” link to the communal violence in Kishtwar, but the fear of several political is justified as the ISI has been known to be using various “tools” ranging from armed militancy to civil disobedience movement in the Valley.
The Pakistani intel body had supported the summer unrest in the Valley in 2010. Sources claim the Kishtwar clashes could yet be another ploy of Pak-based operatives to trigger unrest in the state.
According to intelligence inputs forwarded to the home ministry here, some of the “on ground workers” are even mixed up with locals and are fuelling trouble. Thus, what is now causing concern among security agencies in the state is that there are at least 75,000 armed civilians in the Kishtwar area. If trouble escalates “mischievous elements” could try and take advantage of situation making it more violent.
Next: Political battle over Kishtwar

Political battle over Kishtwar New Delhi/Srinagar: Politics over Kishtwar riots and clashes in Jammu region as an aftermath intensified with the BJP comparing the situation with that prevalent in the Kashmir Valley during 1990s and the National Conference hitting back at the saffron party.
The Centre, meanwhile, ruled out any terror or “external aggression” link to the communal violence and asserted that there will be no repeat of 1990 when Pandits were forced to leave the Valley.Finance minister P. Chidambaram, speaking in the Rajya Sabha on behalf of indisposed home minister Sushil-kumar Shinde, said the overall situation in the state is under control even as members warned that the recent events should not be treated as mere inter-community clash as the country's “sovereignty and integrity” is at stake.
In fresh clashes at curfew-clamped Kishtwar district 10 people, including an assistant superintendent of police, got injured. Six violence-hit districts in the Jammu region, including the city, remained under curfew with arrest of 10 miscreants for rioting.
The issue rocked the Rajya Sabha on Monday, which saw an impromptu discussion on the situation in the state after leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley raised the issue of violence that began in Kishtwar town on Friday last.
The BJP leader’s concerns over the situation were echoed by several other members such as BSP chief Mayawati, CPM’s Sitaram Yechury, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Trinamul), Karan Singh (Congress), D. Raja (CPI), V. Maitreyan (AIADMK), T.M. Selvaganapathy (DMK) and K.C. Tyagi (JD-U). However, NC chief Farooq Abdullah countered the fear and reminded the BJP about the 2002 Gujarat riots.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in Srinagar, took cue from his father and  called the BJP leaders “hypocrites”. Attacking  Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, he tweeted, “Oh that's right they can’t because their star PM hopeful waited days to call out the army & has yet to apologise. Hypocrites.”