Supreme Court asks JKNPP leader to play constructive role

 The Supreme Court on Friday asked leader of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party, Prof Bhim Singh, to visit the trouble-torn Valley to assess the ground situation.

A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice T S Thakur told Singh, who approached the court for imposition of Governor's rule in the state: “We will ask them (government) to arrange for your accommodation in Srinagar. You can meet local people and you will be assisted by divisional commissioner so that you can assess the situation and submit a report to us.”

The court, meanwhile, also said that nobody would be allowed to flare up tempers or incite violence in the Valley and those acting against the interest of the country should be put behind bars.

“You (government) cannot allow people to create trouble there. You take actions if anybody incites people or works against the interest of the country,” the bench told Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar.

Singh, a senior lawyer, submitted that he was willing to go to the Valley but he had been detained 52 times earlier when he tried to enter Kashmir. “Let them allow me to enter Kashmir. I will talk to Hurriyat leaders too,” he replied.

To this, the bench said: “We are not stopping you from talking to local people or Hurriyat. It is a free country and anyone can to talk to anyone but we will not give you any licence or authorisation for your political angle.” Kumar agreed to facilitate Singh’s visit to the Valley to enable him play a “constructive role” after the court said it would want to do what it can to reduce the pain and sufferings of the people in Kashmir.

The apex court decided to hear the matter after two weeks, during which Singh would prepare a report in response to a status report submitted by the Central government in the first week of August.