Omar defends rehabilitation policy for militants
By IANSThursday, November 25, 2010
JAMMU - Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Thursday said the government’s rehabilitation policy aimed at the return of Kashmiri militants from Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir was beneficial to the state.
Dismissing the charges of opposition parties, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), that the policy — given the green signal by his government Monday — was “anti-national”, Omar said: “There is nothing wrong with the policy. It has been framed after due deliberations and after talking to the union home minister (P. Chidambaram).”
He was talking to newsmen on the sidelines of a function here.
Under the policy, militants who return to the state would be provided a monthly stipend, Rs.150,000 as fixed term deposit and loans to start their own employment ventures.
Approximately 3,000 militants are believed to be in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. They crossed over for arms training.
