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Page 17
Shri L.K.Advani and Shri Kidar Nath Sahni came to Srinagar on 15th September to pay homage and attend to last rites of the departed leader. At the airport, they were met by Mr.Saifuddin Soz who was a Member of the Lok Sabha. Soz had been sent by the Chief Minister Dr.Farooq Abdullah to request the two leaders to meet him at the Secretariat before proceeding to the cremation ground to attend the last rites of Taplooji. After all, the Secretariat was on the way. The two leaders met Farooq who, as usual, moved his arms back and up and complained that the Central Government was responsible for all mess in Kashmir because it had failed to stop infiltration from across the border. On 18th September there were a number of violent incidents in the Valley. Two Chinese made hand grenades were hurled at a police party injuring 16 persons including ten policemen. The Deputy Inspector General, C.R.P.F., N.K. Tiwari was attacked by two hundred strong mob at Basant Bagh, a police patrol car was also fired upon. Safa Kadal branch of J&K Bank was attacked and damaged. Kalashnikov rifles were flaunted and firing was resorted to by large number of subversives in Ali Kodali locality.
Messrs I.K.Gujral, Pran Chopra, Kuldip Nayar and Rajinder Sachar came to Srinagar. They went to meet Mirwaiz Moulvi Farooq at his home. But they were forced to come back without being able to meet him. There was cross firing at many places. They later used Moulvi's own car and went to see him. He presented them apples. Newspapers now began publishing details of the activities of the terrorists. Interviews with terrorist leaders were published and carried through cassettes. While photographers, media persons from outside Kashmir including those from abroad were able to meet the terrorist leaders easily and openly, the police authorities showed their inability in tracing them out. The son of a Dy. Superintendent of police was arrested in Anantnag for subversive activities but was later released. Two ministers of the Farooq government were alleged to be financing the terrorists. A senior Minister in the Farooq government, Mr.Rajinder Singh Chib resigned from the Cabinet in protest against the soft policy adopted by the Congress(I)-National Conference coalition Government towards terrorists and subversive elements. In the first week of September, '89, there was a big fire in the famous shrine of Baba Rishi near Gulmarg. Warnings and warrants were sent to those who were working in the Central Government Departments like Intelligence Bureau, Doordarshan, Radio Kashmir, Telecommunications etc. Hit lists were published in the press.
A prominent secessionist leader, Sahbir Ahmed Shah, President of the People's League had been `dodging' the authorities for quite some time. Going to Pakistan and coming back had been his routine. He was reported to be in touch with Afghan rebel leaders also and it was claimed on his behalf that he had contacted Hikmatyar, the Mujahideen leader of Afghanistan. The entire district administration of Anantnag appeared to be subservient to him, although police was supposed to be leaving no stone unturned in trying to arrest him. On 27th September, 1989, he took a taxi in Anantnag and left for Rajouri on way to Pakistan. En-route, he calmly and in a dignified manner acknowledged salutes from policemen on duty at various check-posts.
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