J&K separatists undermined flood relief work in state: Home Ministry

NEW DELHI: The home ministry has told Parliament that the separatists in Jammu & Kashmir tried to undermine the relief and rehabilitation work done by the government and security forces in the wake of the devastating floods in the state last year, listing as many as 15 instances where separatist groups "tried to exploit sentiments"

"Various separatist groups have been trying to exploit sentiments on various issues including alleged excesses committed by security forces, misuse of AFSPA and Public Safety Act, restriction of movements of separatists, alleged apathy of government towards flood affected families, issue of return of Kashmiri Pandits.

In the last one year, a number of shutdown calls were given by separatists," HP Chaudhary, the minister of state for home affairs, told the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Tuesday.

He added, "Post the floods, the separatists tried to project themselves as saviours of the Kashmiri people while at the same time tried to undermine the relief and rehabilitation work done by government and security forces."