New Delhi: The Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was fomenting trouble in the Kashmir Valley where 11 civilians have died in firing by security forces on protesting mobs in the last month.
"The anti-national forces are linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba," Chidambaram told reporters, when asked if the elements he had blamed Tuesday for inciting agitation in the Valley were from Pakistan.
He said the LeT was active in the north Kashmir Sopore town, the worst hit by violent street protests.
"Two militants were killed in an operation on June 25 in Krankshivan colony of Sopore. The LeT is active there," he said.
At the same time both the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government have instructed the security forces to exercise maximum restraint against the stone pelting mobs.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, after attending a high-level meeting on Kashmir violence convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, told mediapersons here on Wednesday that the security forces have been instructed to follow maximum restraint against stone pelting protesters in the Valley.
The Centre is committed to helping the state government in maintaining peace, he added. But at the same time we will support the state government, Chidambaram made clear.
The minister appreciated Omar Abdullah's statement Tuesday. Omar had defended that the action of the security forces and appealed to the parents to restraint their children from indulging in violence.
The minister is hopeful that the situation will improve in next few days and the Amarnath yatra will go on peacefully. Chidambaram said the Centre has asked the state chief minister to visit the affected area and ensure that curfew is enforced in the violence-hit areas.
The CRPF will assist the state police in improving law and order situation. Reiterating instructions to the CRPF for restraint, Chidambaram said, "Curfew must be enforced. The CRPF must assist state police in enforcing curfew. We are committed to providing adequate force for the Amarnath yatra."
Chidambaram, who was supposed to visit Srinagar on Thursday, made clear he is not going there immediately but will consider once situation improves.
The prime minister had convened the meeting to discuss the tense situation in the Valley which has been witnessing a series of protests following killing of two civilians in police firing in Sopore recently. Kashmir has seen unrest for last four days. The meeting was attended by Chidambaram and senior officials of his ministry, the Prime Minister's Office and from security agencies.
Kashmir has been on the boil due to protests over killings of youth in alleged CRPF firing.
Naxal ambush in Chhatisgarh
The Home minister said deploying central forces in the Naxal-hit areas is decided by state governments. "These are very difficult areas. One can expect that the Naxals will attack these areas," he spoke on the recent ambush that killed 26 CRPF jawans in Chhatisgarh on Tuesday.
"Para-military must be deployed only for operative purposes. Lapses will be known only after inquiry is completed," he added.
(With inputs from IANS)
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