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| AFSPA meet inconclusive; Omar, Army at loggers head | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Nov 9: Much awaited Unified Command Meet witnessed both sides the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Indian Army at loggerheads over the controversy of over Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
The variance grew as the top Army brass in J&K reiterated on Wednesday that the security forces required the protection of law in the militancy-ridden state while chief minister questioned the 'need of protection to army in certain pockets' of the Jammu and Kashmir.
The Unified Headquarters Meeting attended by five Army Commanders, heads of various security forces like Border Security Forces (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and all intelligence agencies was held at chief minister Omar Abdullah's official residence. The meeting was held to primarily discuss the pros and cons of the chief minister's proposal to remove AFSPA from some parts of the state.
Sources said that Army generals and BSF officers apprised the chief minister about the implications of the withdrawal of the Act from certain areas. However, the CRPF and the state police chief Kuldeep Khoda endorsed chief minister Omar Abdullah's view. The two vociferously advocated the removal of AFSPA from some areas of the state in the wake of improved security situation.
Earlier while interacting with the media persons this morning in customary meet at Civil Secretariat in winter capital, Chief minister Omar Abdullah referring to Army's demand for protection while operating in insurgency-affected areas in J&K, asked what is the need for protection when they have not worked in those areas where Army did not work for past many years?
According to well informed sources it was a tug of war between the two sides during the unified command meet when Omar stuck his guns about revoking Disturbed Areas Act (DAA) from four to six districts including Jammu, Samba, Kathua in Jammu region and Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal in Kashmir region.
Countering the Chief minister's claims the Army took a tough stand saying that a partial repeal of the AFSPA, as suggested by Omar, would create terror sanctuaries in the state, sources said further adding, "army representations pointed that Armed Forces Special Power Act was the only law that provided protection to the soldiers in the Valley.'
They further said that the repeal of the act in the state would lower the morale of the soldiers. According to reports, the discussion on AFSPA will continue and the core group committee formed by Omar has been asked to expedite their report on AFSPA.
Sources said that the chief minister told the officers that he intended to revoke the law from the areas where the army had not worked for years.
Among those who attended the meeting were General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Northern Command, Lt Gen KT Parnaik, GOC 16 Corps (Nagrota) Lt Gen AS Nandal, GOC 15 Corps (Srinagar) Lt Gen AS Hasnain, GOC 14 Corps (Leh) Lt Gen Ravi Dastane and GOC 9 Corps (Yol Cantonment) Lt Gen AK Chowdhary, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, Chief Secretary J&K, Home Secretary J&K, Director General of Police (DGP), IG BSF, IGP Kashmir, IGP Jammu, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir and all heads of CRPF, Intelligence Bureau (IB), CID and other agencies operating in the state. |
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