Govt worried, infiltration on rise'

No withdrawal of AFSPA from J&K: Shinde

 India to seek custody of Hafeez Saeed

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act will not be withdrawn from Jammu and Kashmir until the situation in the State is completely peaceful, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today said. "It cannot be withdrawn unless it (the State) is quite and calm," he told reporters here when asked when the Government was planning to withdraw the controversial law from the State as demanded by various quarters.  Shinde said infiltration from across the border to Jammu and Kashmir has increased in recent times and security forces were keeping close eyes along the Indo-Pakistan border.  "Infiltration has increased. That is our information. We are worried. We are watchful in all sectors. We are very careful. But no untoward incident has happened as far as infiltration is concerned," he said.

Last week, the Government told Parliament that till October 12, 111 people were apprehended along the border in Jammu and Kashmir while they were trying to infiltrate into India. Government also said at least 90 Pakistani infiltrators entered India through the Indo-Pak border this year. Sources said the abrupt jump in the number of Pakistani infiltrators—from 63 in 2011 to 90 this year (till November 20) -- sent alarm bells ringing in the Home Ministry, which directed security agencies to intensify the vigil along the border. Altogether 94 Pakistani infiltrators have entered into India in 2010 and 69 in 2009 through the Indo-Pak border.

Asked about the proposed visit of Hurriyat leaders to Pakistan, Shinde said initially seven to eight Hurriyat leaders showed willingness to visit that country but the number has reduced to two or three now.  "Still it is not confirm (how many will visit Pakistan)," he said. India will press for handing over of LeT founder and 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafeez Saeed during the visit of Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik beginning December 14. Shinde said he told Malik, when they met in Maldives on the sidelines of a SAARC inter- ministerial conference in September this year, that Saeed was moving freely in Pakistan and he should be handed over to India. "I have been telling him and still I will insist....We have told them openly as well as through official communication. I am quite sure that when he will come here, I will discuss with him this issue," he said at a press conference here.

Shinde said he will also seek voice samples of the handlers of the terrorists who carried out the Mumbai terror attack in 2008 that left 166 persons dead.  "I had talked to him (Malik) on a number of occasions on the voice samples (of handlers of 26/11 terrorists). We have requested them many times. Not only in Maldives, but also at the Interpol conference (in Rome).   Shinde, however, declined to comment on the legal proceedings related to 26/11 case going on in that country saying the matter was subjudice.  "I can’t say I am satisfied. It is legal matter. I can’t comment on legal matters," he said. India has voiced concern over the slow pace of trial in Pakistan.  An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan is conducting trial of seven Pakistanis charged with involvement in the 2008 strikes.

A breakthrough is expected soon on the National Counter Terrorism Center for which Government is carrying out talks with the Chief Ministers opposing it, Shinde said . "I have been talking to the Chief Ministers. Soon you will get result," Shinde said.  Following strong protests from Chief Ministers Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal), Naveen Patnaik (Odisha), J Jayalalitha (Tamil Nadu) and Narendra Modi (Gujarat), the Government had deferred the operationalisation of NCTC, a pet project of former Home Minister P Chidambaram, in March.

Shinde said he had talked to Banerjee on NCTC immediately after he took over as Home Minister in August and he would talk to Modi after some days as the latter is now busy with electioneering in Gujarat. "Narendra Modi is very busy with election. It is not proper to talk to him now. I had talked to Mamata Banerjee when I had visited West Bengal....When I went through the records I have found that they have some reservations. Leaving those reservations, I think every State is agreed (to NCTC)," he said.

Shinde will see files pertaining to mercy petitions of Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru and six others in death row after the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.  "It is not only (that of) Afzal Guru. I have seven files (of mercy pleas) to see. I will see the files after Parliament Session," he said.  Guru’s mercy petition was sent back by President Pranab Mukherjee to the Ministry of Home Affairs for review. He was sentenced to death for the 2001 Parliament attack in which nine people, including security force personnel, were killed and 16 were injured.

Source: http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/