BJP Contradicts Mehbooba Mufti, Says Forces Knew Of Burhan Wani's Presence

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's statement -- that security forces did not know of terrorist Burhan Wani's presence during the July 8 encounter or he could have been alive - was contradicted by ally BJP today.

The party contended that the security forces had the knowledge and the identity of a terrorist "doesn't matter" in such situations.  Terming the killing of Wani as "success", Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Sat Sharma said security forces don't act "without information".  "They knew who was inside and they undertook their job after taking everything into consideration," he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, too, today supported Ms Mufti's claim that security forces did not know about Wani. Terming the terror operation that killed the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist and its aftermath as "one accident upon another", he said more "precautions" would have been taken by the government had they known that security forces were going to eliminate Wani.

Massive protests have swept the Kashmir Valley since the killing of Wani, in which 47 people have died and more than 2,500 have been wounded.  As Pakistan declared him a martyr and senior leaders of the ruling People's Democratic Party demanded an investigation into his killing, Chief Minister Mufti contradicted the details of how he had died.

While security forces had said Wani's killing was the result of intelligence inputs, Ms Mufti said the 22-year-old terrorist would have been "given a chance" had the forces been aware of his identity.

Regarding Ms Mufti's statement, Mr Sharma said, "We must keep the morale of the security forces high".

Mr Sharma's words expose the chinks in the shaky alliance between the PDP and the BJP, achieved and maintained under extreme odds. When Ms Mufti had not stalled taking over as chief minister after her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed died, BJP leaders had accused her of playing up to her voters.