Squeeze J&K separatists of their finances, says former RAW officer

The likes of Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Masarat Alam are back and are making news un-deservedly. They have once again been placed under house arrest ahead of the Tral rally and yet again this is an interim measure that has been adapted by the government.

It is almost certain that the separatists who are on the pay rolls of Pakistan will never change their stance on the Kashmir issue. They will continue to raise flags and shout anti India slogans.

The big question is how exactly does one deal with these persons. Executive action is out of the question since this will only pave the way for a sympathy wave. Amar Bhushan former officer with the Research and Analysis Wing feels that the best way to control separatists is to squeeze them of their finances.

Bhushan who spoke with OneIndia says that cases for money laundering need to be booked against these persons but one must ensure that the cases are booked out of Jammu and Kashmir so that they spend their time in legal wrangles.

What action can the government take against the separatists?

Bhushan says that the best way to deal with these persons is to squeeze them of their finances. Act against these persons under the various provisions of the law is available.

Ensure that these persons do not get any respite and let them run around from court to court battling their cases. Their biggest strength is their finances. Their ground level support is highly over rated and in reality not many support them barring 5000 people.

Pin them down

Bhushan points out that their biggest strength is the money they keep getting in from Pakistan. India needs to book them for getting in funds illegally. However booking cases in Jammu and Kashmir will not be the solution.

One must note that the money that they get never lands in J&K. It is always sent to places like Delhi or Mumbai via Nepal from where it is collected. The landing point is crucial and cases should be booked there.

This would ensure that they will have to keep travelling to the courts outside of Jammu and Kashmir and fight their cases. This will keep them busy and they will have no time for their separatist activities, Amar Bhushan also says.

India has always showed off to the world that it has a very democratic approach towards anything and everything. Since this is the stand it would be best if cases for money laundering are booked. Any other kind of action through force will only lead to these separatists walking away with sympathy, Bhushan also adds.

What stops the government from acting?

There are various factors that have ensured that the government has never acted against these separatists. Governments in Jammu and Kashmir have relied on these separatists to win the elections.

Secondly the government feels that their support base is dwindling and these persons only come out once in a way and raise slogans. The government is of the view that ignoring them is the better option. There has always been this approach where the government has waited for the issue to die down, the former R&AW officer also says.

The government ought not to keep waiting for the issue to die down. Apart from squeezing them financially the establishment must also choke them of their communication. Jam their phones and disconnect their internet so that they are not able to converse with Pakistan.

Another important point that I would like to draw here is the media. If the media stops calling them on shows and interviewing them, then their backbone will be broke to a large extent.

There is no need for the Indian media to know their views as all of us already know what they think, Bhushan says.

These are all just paid agents of Pakistan. The best way to hit them is financially and this is where it would hurt them the most, Bhushan also adds.