SRINAGAR: Authorities in Kashmir have spent nearly a 100 million rupees so far to keep separatist leaders safe.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told the Legislative Assembly on Friday that Rs 9,47,03,700 had been incurred on the account of “providing security cover to Hurriyat and other separatist leaders in Kashmir valley” in the last 12 years.
He added that the amount spent on the security cover of Hurriyat leaders has also gone up ten times in 2012; from Rs 15,70,750 (nearly 1.6 million) in 2001 to Rs 1,66,10,251 (10.6 million).
“Of this, Rs 4,96,61,299 was spent on the salaries of Personal Security Officers (PSOs) and drivers provided for the security of Hurriyat and separatist leaders,” he said.
“While Rs 71,10,268 was spent on fuel required for government vehicles used in the security of the separatists, Rs 3,79,32,133 was spent on the account of salaries of the residential security guards provided to them during the same period.”
The authorities have not identified the separatist leaders who have been provided a security cover. They have also not clarified from whom the threat came.
In the past, many separatist leaders have been attacked, but militants and security forces blamed each other for them.
At least two senior separatists have been assassinated since an armed rebellion against Indian rule broke out in the early nineties.
