Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday created a parallel investigation agency that will primarily deal with militant and terrorism-related cases and coordinate with National Investigation Agency (NIA) for smooth and swift handling such cases.
The Home Department of JK UT administration said the SIA will be the Nodal Agency for coordinating with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other Central Agencies to take such other measures as may be necessary for speedy and effective investigation and prosecution of militancy-related cases.
SIA will be headed by the ADGP of CID wing of JK police as the ex-officio Director and the Director SIA shall, to the extent it pertains to the functioning of the SIA, exercise such powers as may be specified by the Government from time to time.
Reacting to the government creation of SIA, the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) said that the latest decision of the Administration to create a State Investigating Agency (SIA) by all counts is only aimed to strengthen the repressive apparatus in this region.
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PAGD, which is an amalgam of National Conference, PDP and CPI (M) headed by Farooq Abdullah, in a statement said that the formation of one more agency empowered with unbridled powers is one more assault on democratic rights and civil liberties of citizens.
"In the name of fighting terrorism these agencies and laws are being weaponised against the citizens who hold a different viewpoint from the government,” PAGD spokesman, Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami said.
“What was the need to add one more such agency? When already NIA and UAPA have created havoc among the people by gross misuse of these draconian measures. J&K is a political issue and needs a political outreach. What was required to be done was to provide relief and not any addition to such harsh measures which are bound to deepen their alienation,” he said.
PAGD said it had opposed all such laws in the past and will do so in future as well.
"Even eminent jurists in the country have expressed resentment over the draconian laws being passed by the government in the name of fighting terrorism. These laws can be wielded as a weapon against opponents. The fight to defend democracy must encompass the struggle to get rid of these draconian laws," he said.
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Talking to ETV Bharat on the creation of SIA, former IPS officer Israr Khan said that the agency will lessen the burden on police which is grappling with the burden of domestic and law and order issues.
"SIA will lessen the work burden of police and will create more pressure on militancy. However, it will in future create clashes among the investigating agencies which are already working in Jammu and Kashmir," Khan told ETV Bharat.
Political analysts and author, Gowhar Geelani said that creating one more agency raises questions on the "normalcy" claims of the government.
"The government has been claiming that situation in Kashmir has improved in the last two years. Already many investigating agencies are working in Jammu and Kashmir and creating one more punctures the normalcy claims of the government," he said.
