Ravi Shankar Prasad welcomes J-K govt's decision to withdraw security of separatist leaders

Patna (Bihar) [India], Feb 17 (ANI): Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday welcomed the Jammu and Kashmir government's decision to withdraw the security of separatist leaders in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack.
The Union Minister asserted that the step of revoking security cover accorded to separatists should have been taken earlier.
"These Hurriyat leaders talk to Pakistan and receive funding from various places. The most painful thing is that they get security from the central government and the Jammu and Kashmir government. India will not allow any step taken towards separating Kashmir from the country," Prasad told media here.
"Jammu and Kashmir is part of India and will remain so. This cannot be practised anymore that you talk about distributing India and take security from Indian government itself. We welcome this decision of the Jammu and Kashmir government. This step should have been taken earlier itself," he added.
Cracking down on pro-Pakistan elements in Kashmir, the state government earlier today withdrew the security provided to five separatist leaders. The decision came in the wake of Pulwama terror attack in which around 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
The separatist leaders whose security was withdrawn included All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
"The Government is issuing orders withdrawing all security and any government facilities provided to the following separatist leaders namely Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Abdul Ghani Bhat, Bilal Lone, Hashim Qureshi and Shabir Shah,” read the order by the Jammu and Kashmir administration.
As per orders of the state government, all security and any vehicles provided to them will stand withdrawn by today evening. No security forces or cover should be provided, under any pretext, to them or any other separatists, said the administration order.
The state administration has also said that the Police Headquarters will review if there are any other separatists who have government security or facilities and will withdraw these immediately. (ANI)