Pakistan funding for creating unrest against J&K's people: Jaitley

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday said that the fact that Hurriyat leaders were taking money from Pakistan was already known in "informed circles", and called it a conspiracy against not just India but also the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The minister's comments came as the National Investigation Agency filed a case against separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and other Hurriyat leaders for allegedly receiving money from the Lashkar-e-Taiba to fund "subversive" activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

"What was known already in informed circles has only been proved... It was known that they (Hurriyat) were being funded from across the border... funded to create unrest, and were funded to burn schools, kill people and create unrest in the valley," Jaitley said here.

"Their actions were conspiracy not only against Indian state but also against residents of Kashmir Valley. This was all being talked about, what your report has done is almost bring out a confessional statement and the concerned players accepting it. Government agencies will take all steps," he said.

The NIA said on Friday that a team of the counter-terror probe agency has landed in Srinagar and would question Geelani, Hurriyat provincial president Naeem Khan, JKLF leader Farooq Ahmed Dar also known as Bitta Karate, and Tehreek-e-Hurriyat leader Gazi Javed Baba.

--IANS

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