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| Azad punctures Omar's balloon | | AFSPA | | Neha
JAMMU, Mar 5: Notwithstanding the fact that NC working president and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah spoke differently at different times about the feasibility or otherwise of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) that gives a legal immunity to the security forces involved in anti-insurgency operations, he always tried to give the people of Kashmir to understand that the revocation of this Act and withdrawal of the Army from certain areas of the state would commence during his regime. Only last week, he said so on the floor of the Assembly. Interestingly, in Kashmir during the same week, he said that he would take up this issue with the Government of India later this year. What he said on the floor of the Assembly and Kashmir within a span of two days only indicated his inconsistency or whatever one may call it. But the fact remains that he did say that the revocation of the AFSPA would take place during his regime.
It is difficult to say if Omar Abdullah's statements convinced his core constituency in Kashmir that he meant what he said, but it can be said without any hesitation that the NC leadership would never succeed in its devious game plan. For, it is not just the BJP and similar other political parties in Jammu province which oppose tooth and nail the demand of the NC and other Kashmir-based formations, including separatist outfits, there are powerful elements within the NC-Congress coalition itself who do not subscribe to the views of Omar Abdullah and Co as far as the AFSPA is concerned. Take, for example, Congress leader and Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who on Monday punctured the Omar Abdullah's balloon saying the AFSPA could not be revoked at this point of time, thus showing the NC leadership its rightful place. "The time for removal of the law has not come yet, particularly when the elections are round the corner. We must keep the ground realities in mind and should be conscious about what we are doing. Pakistan will create disturbance and will try to step up militant activities.
Pakistan always trains and abets militants for anti-India activities," Congress leader Azad told reporters on the sidelines of a function organized in connection with the inauguration of Super Specialty Hospital in Jammu. Not just this, he went on to say that "he is personally against removal of AFSPA from Jammu and Kashmir at this time". He even took on Omar Abdullah and said that let him say what he wanted, but my view is that the AFSPA must stay as the situation in the state could worsen anytime. "It's for the Chief Minister to say what he wants to, I would not like to come in the way about what he speaks. As far as my personal opinion is concerned, I am against it (revocation of AFSPA). We should be conscious about what we are doing. This is not the right time for removal of AFSPA," he said.
One can surely question Azad on several counts, including his decision of creation of new districts in the state and the fact that during his regime several nation-building and people-centric private member' bills were rejected and some communally-motivated ones were adopted, but one would surely endorse his stand on the AFSPA. The Army do need this Act as Pakistan and its agents in the state are always ready to play mischief. The fact is that Omar Abdullah and others of his ilk have to reckon with many powerful elements and that he has been only seeking to achieve unachievable. |
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