Srinagar, September 4: Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Danish Bhat today called for an independent and comprehensive investigation into the political dimensions of the 1989 kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of then Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and the circumstances that culminated in the release of five terrorists.

In a Statement issued to KNS, Bhat said the episode warrants renewed scrutiny because the contemporary parliamentary record itself raises questions about the manner in which the negotiations were conducted. During the Lok Sabha proceedings of December 28, 1989, questions were raised regarding an alternative channel through which Rubaiya’s release was reportedly considered possible without conceding the terrorists’ demand, and the subsequent change in the course of negotiations.

“The issue is not merely who carried out the abduction. It is necessary to establish, through evidence, how the negotiations evolved, who exercised influence over the process, what options were available to the government and how the decision to release five terrorists was ultimately reached,” Bhat said.

He said the circumstances assume particular significance because Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was the Union Home Minister when the kidnapping took place.

“His position placed him at the centre of the country’s internal security apparatus at a moment when his daughter was being held hostage. That extraordinary convergence of public office and personal circumstance makes the decision making process worthy of the highest level of scrutiny. This is not an allegation against any individual. It is a demand that the record be examined without political prejudice,” Bhat said.

Bhat said the subsequent account of former Union Minister Arif Mohammad Khan, who was directly associated with the government’s handling of the crisis, should also be examined alongside official records. Khan has raised questions about the negotiations and the manner in which the decision to release the five terrorists was reached and communicated.

“Retrospective accounts must be tested against documentary evidence. Government files, intelligence assessments, communications and the testimony of those involved can establish what actually occurred.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelThere should be no presumption of guilt, but neither should questions of such consequence remain permanently unanswered,” he said.

Bhat said the release of five terrorists was a decision whose consequences extended well beyond the immediate resolution of the hostage crisis.

“The years that followed witnessed a devastating expansion of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. According to Government of India figures, terrorism claimed tens of thousands of lives, including civilians, security personnel and members of different communities. Kashmiri Pandits suffered targeted killings, intimidation and forced displacement, while thousands of Kashmiri Muslims, Sikhs and members of other communities also became victims of terrorist violence. Political workers, public servants, journalists, elected representatives and security personnel were among those killed,” Bhat said.

He said the human cost makes it imperative to examine the decisions taken at the beginning of the crisis with historical and institutional seriousness.

“The question is whether the events of December 1989 were handled solely as a hostage crisis or whether political considerations, interventions or failures influenced the outcome. That question should be answered by evidence, not competing political narratives,” Bhat said.

Bhat called for the examination of all available records relating to the kidnapping, negotiations, intermediaries, decision making and release of the five terrorists.

“After 37 years, the objective should not be political recrimination. It should be historical accountability. If the evidence establishes that the government acted within the bounds of necessity and national interest, that should be recorded conclusively. If it establishes otherwise, the country has a right to know,” he said.

“The Rubaiya Sayeed episode occupies an important place in the history of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. It deserves to be examined with the same seriousness with which we examine the consequences that followed,” Bhat added.