Omar gets firm backing from Centre

New Delhi : The Centre on Monday rallied behind Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in handling the situation in Kashmir Valley and indicated that it is committed to carrying out politicial initiatives for which peace is a prerequisite.

Arriving here on Monday morning, Mr. Omar Abdullah called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who chaired a high-level meeting to discuss the current unrest in the Kashmir Valley and find an administrative and political way out.

He briefed the meeting in which all the members of the Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS) including Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Defence Minister A.K. Antony and External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna were present on the latest turn of events in the Valley, which witnessed a fresh spurt in violence.

Mr. Omar Abdullah raised issues including the need for additional forces and initiation of "internal and external" dialogue with people concerned.

The sources said the Centre was willing to initiate series of political steps in the Valley but peace was a prerequisite.

The Centre will also send additional forces to Jammu and Kashmir to assist the state police in handling the situation.

The meeting comes a day after the CCS met to discuss the political and administrative steps needed to be taken to defuse the escalating situation in the Valley.

The meeting voiced its resolve to help the State government in all possible ways and also underscored the need for adequate backup for the CRPF and State police while dealing with protesters.

The State government had also sent a request for a policy to rehabilitate former militants, who have served their jail sentence and were unemployed besides a comprehensive policy for those youths who were willing to return from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

According to sources, intelligence agencies have reported that a majority of stone pelters were former militants who were at present unemployed.
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