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| Local admn, police was kept in dark about Madhav's 'secret' visit | | |
Hyder Ali
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Feb 20: In a major embarrassment for the local administration including police and the civil authorities, the official machinery was allegedly kept in dark over the "secret visit" of BJP general secretary and point-man on Kashmir, Ram Madhav, for secret talks with PDP president Mehbooba Mufti over government formation earlier this week.
Official sources told Early Times that it was, most probably, for the first time in the past over 25 years that the administration was not formally informed about the visit of the high profile dignitary who landed in the summer capital on the evening of February 17 in an private airliner when the normal business was over at the airport on the Srinagar outskirts.
Madhav had landed at the airport keeping his face hidden in shawl and subsequently drove in a private car.
Sources said the administration was informed about his visit when he was already holding a meeting here and media broke the news.
Officials told Early Times that as per the protocol, the political parties concerned or the union Home department were bound to keep the local administration apprised about the high profile visit, even if it had to be "kept top secret before the people."
"As per the laid down protocol, there are some agencies in the state government which need to be informed about such development," the officials said.
Giving details, they said officials like Kashmir's Divisional Commissioner, Inspector General of Police Kashmir, the District Magistrate Srinagar, Senior Superintendent of Police Security, the Senior Superintendent of Police Srinagar, the Senior Superintendent of Police Budgam(where the airport lies) and the Senior Superintendent of Police Traffic(Srinagar) need to be formally apprised in written about such developments.
"Even at the times of crisis there needs to be a formal correspondence, which is circulated, with copy to all these heads so that requisite arrangements are accordingly made," said a retired official having remained privy to such developments.
Officials said since emergence of militancy in Kashmir, this protocol was being religiously followed. "There are many sensitive issues like providing of security and arrangements with regard to their mobility, which need to be kept in place… If anything untoward would have happened we would have been caught unaware," said a senior official pleading anonymity.
He said the concerned police stations through which Madhav had to drive down, had no information till he arrived at the Fairview residence of PDP President Mehbooba Mufti.
Sources said police got aware about Madhav's presence only when media persons phoned them, looking for official confirmation of his visit. "Till that time, we were unaware and we contacted our concerned quarters to know that the news might not be true as there was no official intimation," said a senior official in the civil administration, asking not be identified.
He said all of a sudden there came a flash message to them to provide security cover for the departure of Madhav, who was supposed to drive back from the Gupkar to the Srinagar International Airport, a 15-mile drive.
Police sources said the security vis-a-vis traffic regulation remained a big concern as in the evening massive traffic jams are often witnessed on this south City route to Airport.
"Given the ongoing construction of the Rambagh flyover, this entire route witnesses massive gridlocks in the evening hours. Moreover by this point of time , movement of tippers and other heavy vehicles also starts making the traffic regulation all the way more difficult," said a top official.
He said given the sudden message, most of the top officials particularly those from police DIG Central Kashmir, SSP Srinagar and SSP Traffic were literally on tips to manage a hassle-free movement for Madhav.
Sources said the security concerns were compounded by series of "immature tweets" made by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his party spokesman Junaid Matto who "unduly raised a hue and cry over the presence of presence of the high profile dignitary in the City."
Omar had played whistleblower over Madhav's visit and he personally admitted it. While Omar had tried to convey as if it was "taboo to hold secret talks", his deputy Junaid Mattu tried to ridicule at the PDP.
"Amid this war of words on social media, presence of Ram Madhav in Srinagar spread like wildfire and security concerns heightened," said an official.
The PDP has already taken a serious note of the "cheap online tactics adopted by the immature young team in NC." Some of the leaders are understood to have sought an inquiry from police as to how come the secrecy was breached by the rival NC camp.
On the other hand, some officials in the administration are understood to have objected to the kind of secrecy maintained in Madhav's visit.
They pleaded that even when last month, the Shiv Sena chief Raj Thackrey visited Kashmir and was "secretly holidaying" in Gulmarg, the local administration was formally aware of his presence.
But Madhav's "secret visit" has changed the convention.
"Were we some outsiders that we were kept in dark about the matter?" asked some officials. They said the matter was likely to discussed at highest levels as otherwise it would set a bad precedence of ignoring the local administration. |
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