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| WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CONFLICT WITH CONG: MIR | | | Jammu, March 01,
A day after PDP ministers boycotted cabinet meeting senior PDP leader and former cabinet minister Ghulam Hassan Mir said on Thursday that "we do not have any conflict with the Congress but we cannot take lying down any affront or insult to our party leadership."
Mir was commenting on the current political scenario in the wake of PDP move to stay away from the cabinet meeting.
When asked what was the need for a discussion on demilitarisation and repeal of Armed Forces special Powers Act when the opinion of the Congress on the issue was known Mir said "at least the cabinet could discuss the matter. Many matters are discussed in the cabinet without giving its final judgment."
When asked whether he found the situation conducive for demilitarisation Mir said "our friends and opponents have misunderstood our demand for demilitarisation adding that we want the troops to be withdrawn from those areas where the level of militancy related violence has considerably
declined."And once the troops were withdrawn the
responsibility of law and order could be placed on the
shoulders of the police and the CRPF.
It may be mentioned that PDP,which shares power with the Congress,has visibly felt hurt when a letter sent by the leader of the legislature party in the Assembly, Mr Abdul Aziz Zargar,Agriculture Minister,to Mr Azad for convening a special meeting of the cabinet was not "even acknowledged" by the Chief Minister.
Aziz,on the instructions of the party
patron,Mufti Mohd.Sayeed and Chief,Ms Mehboonba
Mufti,had sent the letter requesting the Chief
Minister to convene a special meeting of the cabinet
where the issue pertaining to demilitarisation and to
the repeal of Armed Forces special powers Act could be
discussed. Mir said "yes our ministers refused to participate in the Wednesday's
cabinet meeting because the Chief Minister had not
even acknowledged the letter the party leader had sent to him regarding convening of a special meeting of the cabinet."
He stated that the Chief Minister had announced in
the state Assembly that demilitarisation could be
considered if those under the security cover gave in
writing that the security cover provided to them be
lifted.Mr Mir said "this is what we have done but we
continue to be given protection."
The PDP leader said that if withdrawing security
cover "to our leaders and legislators required
amendment in the special security Act the matter could
have been discussed in the cabinet."Asked whether the
PDP will continue to boycott the cabinet meetings he
said "no.But the Chief Minister should acknowledge our letter and act upon it."
On the other hand the congress leaders are of the
opinion that the PDP leadership,by demanding
demilitarisation and repeal of the Armed Forces
special powers Act,was simply trying to draw mileage
from the issues which could help the party in the next Assembly election. Chief Minister,Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad,has suggested to his alliance partners not to use demand for demilitarisation as a poll strategy because time was not ripe for withdraweal of troops.He has stated that the Government of India's views on the matter were known to everyone and the state Government could not afford to lower the guard which may help militants in strengthening and extending their bases.
Critics of the PDP argue that the organization headed
by Ms Mehbooba Mufti was trying hunting with the hound
and running with the dog adding that "if it is un-
happy with the Congress stand on demilitarization it
should pull out of the Government."Mr Mir,however,said
"we have every right to express our opinion on issues
that concern people which does not mean we are in
conflict with our alliance partner."
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