No separatist will be released without consultation: Sayeed to Rajnath

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed on Tuesday assured Home Minister Rajnath Singh that no separatist would be released in future without taking the BJP into confidence.

Sources in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said Sayeed spoke to Rajnath Singh on the phone and assured him that no separatist leader would be released from custody by the state government without taking the PDP's alliance partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party, into confidence.

"This was done by Mufti sahib to clear the confusion created by some people over Masrat Alam's release," a PDP source told IANS in Jammu.

"The chief minister assured the union home minister that no separatist would be released on its own by the state government, except when it becomes necessary because of a court order."

Sources said Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh met BJP president Amit Shah in Delhi on Tuesday and apprised him of the developments over Alam's release.

BJP sources said it has been conveyed to the PDP leadership that remaining in power in Jammu and Kashmir was not a priority for the BJP and there should not be deviation from the common minimum programme.

They said the BJP had made it clear that there can be no compromise on issues concerning national security.

A serious crisis had developed between the PDP and the BJP after Sayeed ordered the release of separatist leader Alam without taking the BJP on board.

The PDP clarified on Tuesday that Alam's release was ordered by the state home department in February when the state was under governor's rule.

"A communication was sent by the state home department to the Jammu district magistrate who had ordered detention of Masrat Alam under the Public Safety Act (PSA).
"The communication sent in February said that since the term of detention of Alam was coming to an end in March, necessary arrangements should be made for his release," the source said.

The PDP source said the communication was sent during governor's rule. "We have only ensured that we don't interfere with the legal process."