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The Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to downgrade the security of the leaders of the separatist All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC).
"The present security cover to the Hurriyat leaders will be reviewed and, if required, might be downgraded considering the prevailing situation," Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah announced in the state assembly on Thursday.
On Tuesday, the Panthers Party headed by Prof Bhim Singh had demanded withdrawal of security cover, being provided by the state police, to APHC leaders.
Speaking in the state assembly, Panthers Party leader Harsh Dev Singh said, "When the world is uniting to fight terrorism, the state government is providing security to people who are encouraging secessionism."
Almost all opposition leaders and ruling party MLAs had supported Harsh Dev Singh in the state assembly.
Singh had pointed out that the state government was spending around Rs 50 lakh per annum (Rs five million) on the security of APHC leaders.
Minister of State for Home Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy said that three executive members of the Hurriyat - chairman Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, Moulvi Omar Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone - had been provided 'Z' category security while other separatist leaders, including Jamaat Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, JKLF chief Yasin Malik, Peoples League chairman Shiekh Abdul Aziz and Fazal Haq Qureshi, had been provided 'Y' category security.
Suharwardy said that People's League chairman Lone, who has been asking foreign militants to leave the valley, is being provided double armed escort during his tours across the valley.
Besides this, Lone and Moulvi Umar Farooq have been provided extra security personnel at their respective residences.
Speaking on the issue, Dr Abdullah said, "The security has been provided as the government would be blamed if any harm were to come on the APHC leaders."
Asked why security was provided to 'those who advocate secession', Dr Abdullah said, "Here lies the greatness of the Indian nation where even adversaries are protected."
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