After the killing of 45 CRPF personnel in the Pulwama terror attack claimed by Jaish-e-Mohammed, security as well as the VIP status has been withdrawn from all the separatist leaders for the first time since 1990 due to outpouring of anger from all over the country. But how did this practice of extending security to separatist leaders begin in the first place?
Back in 1986, the Awami Action Committee (AAC) – founded and headed by cleric-politician Mirwaiz Maulvi Mohammad Farooq – chose to be a constituent of the NC-Congress alliance floated by Farooq Abdullah and then-prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, despite being the National Conference’s arch rival in Srinagar. This, even after most of the Valley’s opposition groups rallied around the pseudo-separatist Muslim United Front (MUF) instead.
In a historic development, Abdullah had buried NC’s decades-old hatchet with AAC and organised a mammoth reception at Iqpal Park where the three leaders — Rajiv Gandhi, Farooq Abdullah and Mirwaiz Farooq — hugged one another and waved together to announce their grand alliance to an enthusiastic crowd. The Assembly elections of 1987 were held months later.
With two MLAs, AAC served as part the ruling coalition until 19 January 1990, when Abdullah stepped down in protest of Jagmohan’s appointment as Governor.