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| AFSPA: Omar Abdullah's shifting stand | | |
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 6: NC leader and J&K CM Omar Abdullah had over the period created an impression that he would take rest only after he succeeded in getting the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) lifted, at least from certain districts in Kashmir and Jammu. He had even taken cudgels with JKPCC president Saif-ud-Din Soz on the issue when the latter questioned his unilateral announcement in October 2010 that he would revoke the AFSPA before the Durbar move offices were opened in Jammu. During the next 18 months or so, he repeatedly insisted on the abrogation of the AFSPA, but thereafter he maintained silence on the issue for several months.
However, he broke his silence on Wednesday and asserted that "he has the powers as head of the state to repeal the AFSPA from certain areas in J&K". At the same time, he surprised the people by saying that "it would not be proper to do so". Omar Abdullah made the statement while responding to questions at Agenda Aaj Tak 2013, a two-day conclave in Delhi, which began on December 4. When told that "as the CM of J&K he had the powers to revoke it", he reportedly said "it would not be proper to do so" and added that "he runs a coalition government in J&K where he does not have absolute powers". However, he did say that "he had tried to convince the Cabinet committee on security on repealing of the AFSPA".
It is important to underline "it would not be proper to do so" (revoke AFSPA)", as it indicated that the situation in the state was not ripe for revoking AFSPA. It was a positive statement and there were reasons to believe that he would stick to what he said on Wednesday. But it was not to be. The very next day, he changed his stand and stated that he was determined to revoking the AFSPA. Speaking on the occasion of the 108th birthday of the NC founder and his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah at Srinagar, he sung the same old song. He said: "I have been told that why I do talk on the AFSPA if I could not remove it. I say that it does not matter if the road is difficult. My job is not to tread an easy path, but difficult path. If I try to tread an easy path, then I do not have the blood of Sher-e-Kashmir (Sheikh Abdullah) in my veins. I have his blood and the blood of Farooq Abdullah when I am ready to fight a difficult battle. And I know that it would not be easy to get success on the AFSPA, but I am not ready to leave the fight because the road is difficult. I assure the people of Jammu & Kashmir (read Kashmir) that till the time I am in power and even after that, I will not leave this mission till I get the state rid of the AFSPA".
Omar Abdullah cannot take the people Jammu & Kashmir for a ride. They are not fool. They know everything and they are noticing the shifting stand of his or his double-speak. By making such contradictory statements, he is simply eroding further his already limited support-base. |
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