Rajnath Singh promised to review security cover provided to certain individuals in the state.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today accused Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of orchestrating the terror attack in Kashmir's Pulwama, which caused the death of 40 CRPF soldiers on Thursday. In a veiled reference to separatists, he also said that security cover provided to people who get funds from the neighbouring country and its intelligence agency will be reviewed soon.
"There are some elements that work with the ISI and play with the future of Jammu and Kashmir. Others take money from Pakistan and the ISI. I have sought that a security review of such persons be done," news agency PTI quoted Mr Singh as saying during his visit to Srinagar in the wake of the terror attack, for which Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility.
The Union Minister, who held a review meeting with top officers of the CRPF, Army and the state police, said that civilian movement will henceforth not be allowed on state roads when big military convoys are passing through. "Civilians will face a little difficulty, we apologise for it," he admitted. "But I want to assure the people of the state that we will not let the machinations of those who want to promote terror from the other side of the border succeed."
American experts had also pointed at possible ISI involvement in the hours following the terror attack on the CRPF convoy on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. "The self-proclaimed involvement of Jaish-e-Mohammed in the attack raises serious questions about the role of the ISI in supporting the masterminds of this operation," PTI quoted former CIA analyst Bruce Riedel as saying.
Alyssa Ayres from the Council on Foreign Relations said that the terror attack show the limits of the United States and international policy efforts in persuading Pakistan to take "serious action" against groups like the Jaish-e-Mohammed. "The urgent question is: What else can the international community do?" she asked.
Pakistan has held that while the attack is a matter of "grave concern", India is not justified in alleging a link to the country in this connection. "We have always condemned acts of violence everywhere. We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian media and government that seek to link the attack to Pakistan without investigations," PTI quoted the neighbouring country as saying in a statement.
(With inputs from PTI)