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| Withdrawal of troops, AFSPA depend on ground realities | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu, Feb 16: Key political players, including those belonging to the National Conference, the PDP and the separatists, have mounted pressure on the central Government for withdrawing troops from within the civilian areas in the state and for repealing the controversial AFSPA.
Since Chief Minister,Omar Abdullah, has been in the forefront of those demanding cut in the deployment of troops and revocation of the AFSPA it has forced the centre and the top Army authorities to r review their stand on the issues as earlier the top brass in the Army has rejected the demand for the reduction of troops and repeal of the AFSPA.
Official sources said that the current two-day visit of the Army Chief,Gen.V.K.Singh,to Jammu and Kashmir was part of the exercise on having an on the spot assessment of the security scenario so that he and the corps commanders could give a nod to the Government to go ahead with the reduction of troops. No doubt the Army Chief, in his earlier statement, had remarked that the reduction of troops and the repeal of the AFSPA were to be decided by the state Government, it was ultimately to be decided by the Army authorities.
During the last over one year the demand for reduction in troops and repeal of the AFSPA had gained ground in Kashmir and whenever the centre thought of accepting the demand the Army authorities would step in and oppose any withdrawal of troops. Reports said that the Army chief discussed the security situation within the state and on the LOC with the Army commander and the corps commanders.
According to the informed sources during the discussion the demand for withdrawal of troops and repeal of the AFSPA figured but no final decision was taken. Sources said that the issues were left to the Unified headquarters to decide on as it comprises senior functionaries of the Army, paramilitary forces, the police and the civil administration besides those running the intelligence agencies.
During the discussion it was decided that the security scenario was to be kept under constant watch and if the level of militancy related activities and violence further dropped the Government will order reduction or withdrawal of troops from within the civilian areas. Hence it is for the separatists, who have been campaigning for withdrawal of troops, to ensure that peace was not destabilised so that the Government was encouraged to reduce the deployment of troops and scrap the AFSPA.
Reports said that senior functionaries of the ruling coalition in Jammu and Kashmir have conveyed to the centre that in the interest of greater peoples' participation in the ensuing Panchayat elections the demand for withdrawal of troops and repeal of the AFSPA be accepted.However,he BJP and the Panthers Party continue to be opposed to withdrawal of troops and to the repeal of the AFSPA on the plea that whatever gains the Government had achieved could be frittered away by accepting the demand of the separatists. These reports said that while some companies of paramilitary forces were to be withdrawn after the pol) l some columns of troops may be pulled out of the state within next one to two months. This may also encourage the separatists to come forward for joining the process of dialogue.
According to these reports, withdrawal of troops, repeal of the AFSPA and release of most of the detainees were being seriously considered by the central and the state Governments. But the decision of the Government on these issues would be governed by the situation on the ground.(eom
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