Govt divulges details on security to separatists, refuses about mainstream

Srinagar: While as the government divulged figures about the security cover to the separatists, it has refused to reveal details about the facility to mainstream politicians, citing security reasons.In a written reply to a question by legislator, Aswani Shahrma about the details of security vehicles provided to the protected persons, the minister in-charge Home, chief minister Omar Abdullah, said, “The security cover to the legislators and other protected persons in the state are periodically reviewed as per the threat perception.”He said that the details of the security vehicles provided to or withdrawn from different protected persons cannot be made public “as the same can be exploited by anti-national elements and would be detrimental to their security.”      The government yesterday said that seventeen separatist leaders were provided security cover while five others have refused the facility.Chief Minister Omar Abdullah revealed this information in the Legislative Assembly in response to a cut motion on the grants of his Departments.The security cover to separatists has entailed a cost of Rs 23.84 lakh during last three years.The separatist leaders provided with security cover are Hurriyat Chief Moulvi Umar Farooq, Prof Abdul Gani, Moulvi Abbas Ansari, Aga Syed Hassan Moulvi, Billal Ahmed Lone, Hashim Qureshi and Sajjad Gani Lone (Z-category), Salim Geelani, Zafar Akbar Bhat, Shahid-ul-Islam, Mohammad Yaqoob Vakil (Y-category), Abdul Hassan Mustafa, Moulvi Manzoor Hussain, Masoor Abbas Ansari, Tariq Anwar, Rafiq-ul-Haq and Sheikh Muzaffar.Chairman of his faction of Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, JKLF chief Yaseen Malik, Fazal Haq Qureshi (Chairman of PPF), Shabir Shah (chairman DFP) and Nayeem Ahmed Khan (chairman JKNF) have refused to take security from the police, he said.  About the Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq, the chief minister said that he has been provided with one Inspector, two head constables and seven constables.