J&K:Hurriyat leader Masarat Alam's release has put coalition in danger, says BJP

Jammu: The release of top separatist leader Masarat Alam on Saturday on the orders of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed has not gone down well with ally BJP which said it could spell "danger" to the ruling coalition while the security establishment felt there could be a major threat to peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Masrat Alam is a threat to the national security as he is not a political prisoner but a terrorist. The BJP will never tolerate his release. If such anti-national, pro-Pakistan leaders are released, it would be very difficult to run the coalition government," state BJP's youth wing chief and party MLA from Nowshera Ravinder Raina told PTI.

"This coalition will be in danger as we will never accept this. We will protest against the release of this anti-India leader," he said.

Raina said the release of anti-national leaders was in violation of the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) that the two parties had agreed upon before forging an alliance to form the government in the state.

"It would be difficult for BJP to continue with PDP… We have formed the government with PDP based on CMP, we formed government for peace and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir. All these issues have been kept out of the purview of the CMP and it (release of Alam) is a violation of the understanding between the two parties," he said.

He said release and rehabilitation of militants was not part of the CMP.

"Our coalition is the result of the CMP and surrender policy and rehabilitation of terrorists is not part of it, these actions are the violation of the CMP," he said.

Terming the release of Alam a "major threat" to national security, Raina said it could further fuel militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.

"He provokes the youth to join anti-India protests, he sends youth to Pakistan for arms training, he is the close associate of Syed Ali Shah Geelani," he added.

He said Alam was more dangerous than the terrorists. "The BJP will protest against this and we will definitely talk to the Union Government over this".

"If you check his speeches, this man is spewing venom against Indian security forces. He has masterminded attacks on Indian security camps. So the release of such kind of anti-national person will be objected what and come what may we will never tolerate his release," he said.

The security establishment also feared a threat to security in J and K following Alam's release.

"It will be great security risk and threat to the peace in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly Kashmir Valley, where he has triggered two major stone pelting agitation in which large number persons lost lives in valley", a senior Police officer told PTI. Alam is the mastermind of the 2008 and 2010 unrest in Kashmir Valley in which a number of lives were lost during the stone-pelting agitation.

The officer, who has worked in various places in Kashmir, said, "he is more stronger and powerful leader than Syed Ali Shah Geelani and has huge cadres in stone-pelters and youth".