news details |
|
|
| 'Let AFSPA wait; get freeze over mobile connections lifted' | | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
JAMMU, Nov 8: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah may have failed to get Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) revoked from 'some districts within next few days', questions are now being asked whether he would able to convince Union Home Secretary to lift ban over pre-paid SMSs besides doing away with bar on number of SMSs that can be sent from a post-paid connection in a day.
Observers define this as test of Omar's administrative capabilities and assert that revocation of AFSPA involves five different institutions viz. State government, central government, Union Home Ministry, Union Defence Ministry and Army. In comparison to this, observers maintain that a merely four line order from Union Home Ministry would be enough to get ban on SMSs both pre-paid and pos-paid lifted within twenty four hours.
They further say that revocation of AFSPA would not be possible until Disturbed Areas Act (DAA) is not withdrawn from the areas where the government feels situation has vastly improved. "Withdrawal of DAA requires convening of special session of Assembly where a bill on the same would have to be passed and sent to the Governor for assent as well as promulgation. Governor's assent would get DAA lifted and hence, AFSPA would become redundant in those areas," said a legal expert.
He disclosed that centre has to simply convey its decision to the state government with regard to its assessment of the security situation in the Jammu and Kashmir. "The assessment would also mean, Congress which is the coalition partner of NC would have to abide by the decision of union government. It would help in the passage of bill for lifting DAA from areas which, according to the assessment of government are safe and completely free from terrorists," added the expert.
He disclosed that even an ordinance if promulgated would have to be ratified by legislative assembly within six months. "The entire process would in the normal course of time take atleast six months to one year. However, lifting of ban on pre-paid SMSs would take not more than 20 minutes if the state makes a request and the centre approves the same. This would be a bigger confidence building measure (CBM) than AFSPA revocation and infact, the solitary major achievement of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah since the day he has assumed office," added the expert while saying that since the Sim Cards do not generate much of political debate, the issue is being skipped.
A political commentator when asked said that even Omar Abdullah knew the impact of starting a debate over the issue of revocation of AFSPA. "He knew that AFSPA debate would help in shifting focus of media from murder mystery of NC worker Syed Mohammed Yousuf Shah and even from administrative anarchy prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir. Though the fact remains that even Omar knows, he cannot get AFSPA revoked until the union government including Army decide so," said the ace political commentator of Jammu and Kashmir.
He explained "When ban on pre-paid connections is not being lifted, when you cannot send more than 100 SMSs in a day, when police is verifying document of subscribers seeking mobile connections, when your conversations have been kept under surveillance, roaming facility is not available for pre-paid connections and when you cannot own more than two mobile connections, even talking about revocation of AFSPA is absurd. This is enough to explain security situation in Jammu and Kashmir." He advised Omar to first get freeze over mobile connectivity lifted and then, talk about improved security situation and withdrawal of AFSPA. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
