DOGRA CERTIFICATE ISSUE RESOLVED, GEELANI'S PROTEST PLANS GET SETBACK
Srinagar, Apr 24 (Only Kashmir): Efforts by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to resolve the controversy surrounding the Dogra certificates appear to have put a dampener on the plans of hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani to launch protests during the coming summer.
Omar visited Delhi earlier this week and met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Congress President Sonia Gandhi to end the uncertainty in Kashmir as Geelani had threatened to launch protests against the state government''s decision to issue Dogra certificates to members of the community.
"The Chief Minister impressed upon the Central leadership the need to modify the order which provides relaxation to certain communities including Dogras in rules for recruitment to paramilitary forces," highly placed government sources said.
The Dogra certificate issue, which was being used by some elements in the state to vitiate the atmosphere, ended Friday with the Union Home Ministry amending its earlier order and announcing relaxation to all permanent residents of the state.
According to the earlier notification of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), residents of Kashmir, Ladakh and members of the Dogra community were eligible for relaxation in minimum standards of height and chest width required for recruitment in paramilitary forces.
Omar argued with the Central leaders that while Kashmir and Ladakh were described as geographical regions, the people of Jammu were granted the same relaxation but identified as a community, which was creating confusion in certain quarters, the sources said.
They said the Chief Minister expressed apprehensions that some separatist groups might take advantage of the confusion to create trouble in the Valley, which has suffered immense losses over the past three summers due to turmoil.
Omar visited Delhi earlier this week and met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Congress President Sonia Gandhi to end the uncertainty in Kashmir as Geelani had threatened to launch protests against the state government''s decision to issue Dogra certificates to members of the community.
"The Chief Minister impressed upon the Central leadership the need to modify the order which provides relaxation to certain communities including Dogras in rules for recruitment to paramilitary forces," highly placed government sources said.
The Dogra certificate issue, which was being used by some elements in the state to vitiate the atmosphere, ended Friday with the Union Home Ministry amending its earlier order and announcing relaxation to all permanent residents of the state.
According to the earlier notification of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), residents of Kashmir, Ladakh and members of the Dogra community were eligible for relaxation in minimum standards of height and chest width required for recruitment in paramilitary forces.
Omar argued with the Central leaders that while Kashmir and Ladakh were described as geographical regions, the people of Jammu were granted the same relaxation but identified as a community, which was creating confusion in certain quarters, the sources said.
They said the Chief Minister expressed apprehensions that some separatist groups might take advantage of the confusion to create trouble in the Valley, which has suffered immense losses over the past three summers due to turmoil.
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