ALIGARH, Sept 21: Former Jammu and Kashmir governor S.K. Sinha on Friday said 50 percent of policemen in Jammu and Kashmir were militant sympathisers and accused the Indian government of scoring “self goals” in the state but not learning any lessons.
While addressing a lecture on “Kashmir: Genesis and Solutions” at Mangalayatan University, Sinha said the 83000-strong J-K police had “50 percent militant sympathisers and we should take note of this ground reality”.
Sinha was the Muslim-majority state’s governor when a mass uprising erupted in 2008 over the transfer of 100 acres of forest land to the Amarnath cave temple, which is among the holiest pilgrimage sites for Hindus.
He said he justified his decision.
“Kashmir has a composite culture called Kashmiriyat and it should be reflected in every government decision,” he said.
Sinha also said he did not favour lifting the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from some parts of Kashmir.
In response to a question from a student, Sinha said the Armed Forces Act – which provides legal immunity to the Army for killings during the course of their duty- was the need of the hour in Jammu and Kashmir.
He admitted that Indian soldiers committed “some violation of human rights” but said the army had taken strict actions against the guilty.
“Indian Army had a more clean record in Kashmir than the Pakistani Army in Balochistan or the American Army in Afghanistan or Iraq,” he said.
(IANS)
