‘Monitoring Group’ will end militancy, rein in sympathizers: Guv

Srinagar, Mar 30: Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Saturday said the newly set up ‘multi-disciplinary terror monitoring group (TMG)’ was essential since militant sympathizers are “everywhere” and their activities need to be curbed.
The Centre Friday set up the TMG to ensure “synergised and concerted action” against militancy financing and related activities in the state.
Asked about government employees being under the scanner, Malik said, “I am not talking about employees. I am talking about all those people who are connected with the militants, who are supporting them and who are their sympathisers.”
The Governor said that such steps were necessary to put a curb on militancy in Kashmir. “This step is very important as militant sympathizers and supporters are everywhere,” Malik told reporters.
The TMG, as per the Ministry of Home Affairs, will be headed by Additional DGP (CID) J&K Police. T
The members of the Group include IGP (J&K Police), Additional Director Intelligence Bureau (J&K), a representative each from CBI, NIA, Central Board of Direct Taxation (CBDT), Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and any other member co-opted by the Chairman.
The TMG, apart from other terms of reference, is supposed to “take action against hardcore sympathizers amongst Government employees including teachers etc. who are providing covert or overt support to such activities.”
It has to, as per the order, take coordinated action in all registered cases relating to militancy, “terror financing” and any militancy related activity and “bring them to logical conclusion.”
The MHA also wants the group to identify all key persons including leaders of the organisations who are “involved” in supporting militancy in any form and take “concerted action” against them.
It has also been asked to investigate the “networks of various channels being used to fund” militancy and militancy-related activities and take “coordinated action to stop flow of such funds.”
The Group, as per the order, has been directed to meet on a weekly basis and submit their action taken report regularly.
The move to form it comes after Government of India’s recent decisions to ban socio-religious group Jamaat-e-Islami, Yasin Malik-led JKLF, while taking stringent measures, including detention, raids and seizure of properties, against several valley businessmen and Hurriyat leaders it claims are supporting militancy and channeling funds for it.
Back in September 2017, NIA had raided around 27 places in Kashmir, New Delhi and Gurugram (Haryana) in connection with the case and seized cash, trade documents, computers, phones and other equipment from various persons and businessmen.
More raids and arrests have followed since then.