Dealing with terrorists refusing to surrender not 'muscular policy': Jaitley

Hitting out at Congress and human rights groups, Union Minister Arun Jaitley said today that dealing with terrorists who refuse to surrender is not "muscular policy" but a law and order issue which cannot wait for political solution.

Following the imposition of the Governor's rule in Jammu & Kashmir, Congress leaders have expressed fears that it might result in return of the 'muscular policy' to deal with the Kashmir problem.

"At times we get caught in the idioms that we create. One such phrase is "muscular policy in Kashmir". To deal with a killer is also a law and order issue. It can't wait a political solution.

"A fidayeen is willing to die. He is also willing to kill. Should he be dealt with by offering Satyagraha before him? When he advances to kill, should the security forces that confront him, ask him to sit on a table and have dialogue with them? Jaitley raised the question in his Facebook post.

Jaitley's comments come days after BJP pulled out of an alliance with PDP in J&K, leading to imposition of the Governor's rule in the state. Former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti too had said that "muscular security policy will not work in J&K" and reconciliation was the key to resolve the problems in the state.

Jaitley said the policy should be to protect the ordinary citizen of the valley, get him freedom from the terror and provide him with a better quality of life and environment.

"It is paramount to protect India's sovereignty and the right to life of its citizens," he said.

Jaitley regretted that the front human rights organisation which have been taken over by the ultra-left have never spoken about the deprivation of the human rights of the innocent citizens who are victims of their violence.

"They have never a tear to shed in the indiscriminate killing of the security personnel," he said.

Even though the Congress Party historically and ideologically would have been opposed to such human rights groups, they have earned a sympathy in Rahul Gandhi's heart, Jaitley said, adding that Gandhi had no qualms about joining those who raised subversive slogans at JNU and Hyderabad.

"The political adventurists in parties like AAP, TMC and the like only look for a political opportunity in these groups. These human right organisations are an over-ground face of the underground. In the system that they believe in, there is no place for life, liberty, equality and free speech. In fact, there is no space for election or Parliamentary democracy," Jaitley said.

The minister said that one of the worst victims of Pakistan's misconceived Kashmir policy has been the resident of Kashmir valley.

For the past three years, he said, the terrorists up their activities in the months of April, May and June so that the economic lifeline of the valley suffers in the tourism season.

"They terrorise courts, they kill editors, they kill innocent citizens and they don't allow any alternate religion to be practised. Who is threatening the human rights of the citizens of Kashmir? It is obvious that it is the terrorists and the Jehadis who have done it.

"The whole country bears a large cost by putting its security personnel in the region in order to protect the innocent citizens. Many security personnel have been martyred," Jaitley said.

PTI