Paramilitaries miffed with govt over Old City posting
The units of Central armed forces, who were deployed in the polling stations across the Old City, were miffed at local populace as well as state administration for different reasons.
For most of the Central Reserve Police Force and Central Industrial Security Force, said the residents of Old City have ‘no humanity’. The reason, they say, is stoning.
“First of all, we are Industrial Forces. We aren’t meant for conflict zone like Kashmir. But, we can’t resist the order of our Central Government. Now, when we are here, the locals pelt stones on us. They disrespect us. When we arrived in this polling station, we were stoned. Though we didn’t retaliate but stones were coming from over rooftops. It is so bad to see,” three CISF personal, including an officer, said inside a school building, where two polling stations were established, in Saraf Kadal area. The paramilitary men preferred to remain anonymous as they feared action from government.
They also slammed State administration allegedly for not providing food. “We weren’t even provided with water. Since we arrived in Kashmir for poll duty, we faced difficulties. When we were in Solipora, in Budgam, we were stoned by locals. There is something called humanity but we haven’t seen that here,” they said.
As the CISF personal were speaking, a young boy barged into the building and hurled abuses on polling agents for ‘betraying Kashmir cause’.
Alleging discrimination, the CISF personal, said: “Look, these Kashmir policemen and polling staffers are being provided with tea and food but we have been left on God’s mercy. Basically, they are their own.”
In Maharaj Gunj locality, a CRPF man brought out a packet of biscuit from his pocket and said: “This is what we have to eat. We have purchased this from our own money.”
The CISF personal, who spoke to GNS, said: “If we would be told to come again to Kashmir, we won’t. We will prefer resignation but not Kashmir.”
“And, now if government ignores us, at least the locals should have provided us with food or even water, but none came,” the visibly upset CISF personal said.
At most of the polling stations in Old City, the paramilitary troops said they – as well as – polling stations were stoned by youth who emerged from lanes and by-lanes. “They came, threw stones and disappeared. We couldn’t catch them,” said a CRPF man in Mallarata.
“But,” a CRPF officer said, “We have to take on them. The government has given us authority.” While another CRPF man said: “Let evening come, we will take on these stone-pelters. We know they will target us after polling.”
As the polling concluded, groups of youth attacked paramilitary troops and their vehicles in parts of Old City. The forces also retaliated by pelting stones and firing tear gas.
