Row Over Guptas Assurance To Yaseen Mullick

After the controversy over the suicide by the senior Punjab Police officer Ajit Singh Sandhu, who was facing several human rights violation cases, there is a similar controversy simmmering over Union home minister Indrajit Guptas assurance that JKLF chief Yaseen Mullicks allegation of human rights violations against the security forces deployed in the State would be examined and the guilty if any, punished.

Gupta has rejected the complaint of Jammu and Kashmir Governor K V Krishna Rao that Guptas stand would demoralise the security forces who were risking their lives in adverse situation in the state.

The Governor had objected to the Centres assurance to Mullick and had written to Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral on May 30, raising strong objections to the Centre meddling in the states affairs.

The home minister is said to be of the view that the government should not shy away from referring human rights violation allegations to the commission even when it comes from persons whose background is questionable.

A source close to Gupta quoted him as saying that whats wrong if one of them (the National Human Rights Commission and the State Human Rights Commission) looked into the complaints. They may all be bogus complaints, but thats a different matter.

Referring to the two human rights commissions, Gupta is said to have commented: I dont know why you set up these commissions if you are shy of referring cases to them.

Mullick, who is himself facing several criminal charges, including murder charges, was on a fast in Delhi in middle of May, demanding probe into his allegations of crime against women by Central forces deployed in the state.

The JKLF leader broke his fast after home minister Indrajit Gupta assured human rights activists V M Tarkunde, Kuldip Nayyar and Justice Rajendra Sachchar to get the charges examined.

The new controversy in the government has come soon after the one surrounding the suicide by Sandhu, which was followed by a strong protest by former Punjab Police chief K P S Gill against what he called as persecution of police officers who risked their lives and their families to bring normality in Punjab.

While Sandhus contribution in checking terrorism in Tarn Taran is not doubted by any, it is a fact that sweets were distributed by people when the news of his suicide reached the district.