The Jammu and Kashmir government’s move to give ex-gratia relief to the next of kin of 17 innocent persons killed by the security forces in South Kashmir has stirred up a political storm as the list of those killed includes Khalid Wani, brother of now slain Hizbul commander in chief Burhan Wani.
Such ex-gratia cases are processed after the Deputy Commissioner in the district level screening-cum consultative committee (DLSCC), looks at the probes and their findings.
In this process, high-level security and intelligence officials along with Army representatives clear the names after their own feed-back channels.Reacting on the development, MLA Engineer Rasheed said that instead of announcing compensation, the Mehbooba Mufti government should tell people whether they have arrested the accused persons who murdered Khalid.
The BJP, on the other hand, said that the state government should not announce ex-gratia relief to the families of militants.
BJP’s state president Sat Sharma told the media that it was a unilateral decision of the PDP and the BJP would not allow any compensation for the families of terrorists in Kashmir.
The PDP said in its defence that the government has invited filing of objections by people in these 17 cases before the formal orders would be issued by the district administration of Pulwama in the Khalid case.
Muzaffar Ahmad Wani, father of Burhan Wani, told the media that the government’s announcement of compensation has vindicated his stand that his son Khalid Wani was innocent and was murdered by the Army just because he was the brother of Burhan Wani.
Khalid Wani was killed by the Army on 13 April 2015. The Army described the post-graduate student of Political Science as an over-ground worker of Hizbul Mujahideen.
The Army in its statement claimed that he was a part of the militant group who fired upon their patrol party. Khalid’s family and the locals had contested these claims.
Finally, the government ordered a probe which found that the Army statement was conflicting. The government declared Khalid Wani as an innocent person.
Like many other families, Khalid and Burhan Wani’s father has said that he does not need the money from the government.
Abdul Hameed Bhat, father of Shaista Bhat, a post-graduate student who was allegedly killed by the Army, has turned down the money offer of the government. “Can money bring back my daughter who was killed in the cold blood by the Army? I don’t need any relief but I want the government to make the enquiry report into the killing of my daughter public. I want punishment to the killers of my daughter,” Abdul Hameed Bhat told the media.
It is in place to mention that on 17 February 2016, two students including Shaista Bhat were killed and 15 other civilians were injured when the Army allegedly opened fire on a group of protesters who were protesting against the killing of a militant at an encounter site.
The government subsequently ordered a probe as people in large numbers took to the streets condemning the Army action.
The government appointed the Additional Deputy Commissioner Pulwama of that time, Shahbaz Mirza, as an inquiry officer and he later submitted his report to the government about the firing and the killing of two persons.
Abdul Hameed Bhat appealed to the government to omit the name of his daughter from the list of the dead people whose families were to be compensated.
He said that it was like rubbing salt on his wounds. He said he has nothing to do with the government’s decision to announce compensation.