SRINAGAR, AUGUST 28 – Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Sunday announced general amnesty to all the stone-pelters who were apprehended in the last year’s law and order situation and are out on bail. However, he said, this would not apply to those involved in arson and any other heinous crime.
“The Government would withdraw the cases against them to provide an opportunity to be responsible persons and lead a normal life”, Omar said adding that those who exploited these youth for vested interests and put a question mark on their future used and threw them. “They do not talk about them but are interested in the release of their jailed friends and even threaten agitation for that. But Government is concerned about these young men and want them to get pardoned for the wrong they have committed as ignorant to safeguard their future”, he said asserting that the amnesty would be available to them as a onetime opportunity with the cutting date of today.
“In order to remove the stigma on the character and behaviour of these youth for being involved in stone pelting and enable them to seek employment and carry on normal life process, we decided to give them a onetime general amnesty with the stipulation that they would not indulge in such activities again”, he said reiterating that this amnesty is only a onetime dispensation which cannot be repeated any more.
The Chief Minister said that about 1200 young men would be benefited by this goodwill gesture of the Government who were apprehended for stone pelting and are presently out on bail. He advised those who have evaded the arrest and are hiding, to submit before the police, obtain bail and get the benefit of the general amnesty otherwise their cases will remain as they are. He asked the parents of these youth to counsel them to be responsible persons in future and not to get exploited anymore by anyone.
“The youth should consider this gesture of the Government as the gesture of elders towards the young and as an Eidi (Eid Gift) on the occasion of Eid”, he said asking them to take the best advantage of this opportunity and exhibit their responsibility towards the society and the State by becoming peaceful and normal citizens.
Speaking to the media at SKICC here, the Chief Minister dispelled the hype being carried by some leaders about the persons presently in jails. He said that the propaganda in this regard is totally false adding that only 35 persons are presently in prisons under PSA. “A false belief is being created among people as if jails are filled with hundreds of persons. This is untrue”, he said making it clear that the propaganda in this regard is totally incorrect.
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