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| Let fate of AFSPA be decided only by Army ? | | | When senior Army functionaries in the Northern Command indicated that the Union Home Ministry and the Defene Ministry will shortly decide whether time has come for withdrawal of AFSPA or not from some areas in Jammu and Kashmir it may not have gladened the hearts of those, including Chief Minister,Omar Abdullah,who have been campaigning in favour of lifting AFSPA from four to five districts in the state.The reason being that those very top Army functionaries who talked about the plan of the Defence and Home Ministries to review the security situation in the context of the demand for withdrawal of AFSPA had categorically stated that the AFSPA was a "must" for the state.This one word remark is a sufficient hint on the Army's continued opposition to the withdrawal of the AFSPA even from four districts where the militancy related activities and violence have touched zero level.Those political leaders,including the Chief Minister,Omar Abdullah,who have been vociferously campaigning in favour of withdrawal of the AFSPA from some areas in the state seem to be guided by pure political considerations.Yes,they may be under the conception or misconception that if the troops and the paramilitary forces indulge in human rights violations it is the result of their notion that the AFSPA provides them impunity against any conviction or punishment .It may be so but one thing needs to be looked into.If there have been some cases of human rights violations the accused have been penalised by the Army authorities.And expert committee reports have revealed that more than 90 per cent complaints regarding human rights violations and excesses by the security forces have been found fake,false and concocted.Thirdly,some of the human right violations have been the result of peculiar incidents or events.Since the Pakistan supported terrorist violence is definitely a different game than the open war between the two enemy countries one cannot expect the security forces to play a fair game while dealing with the insurgents and that too when the militants have been seen adopting not only the hit below the belt but aso the hit and run strategy. During the last three years' debate on the repeal or retention of the AFSPA it has been seen that besides the Army even the Defence Ministry has been opposed to the withdrawal of the Act from some areas in Jammu and Kashmir.On a number of occasions during the last one year the Defence Ministry and the top Army functionaries have not accepted the Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram's plea in favour of withdrawal of AFSPA from some areas in the state. Chidambaram has openly supported Omar Abdullah's stand on the issue.Even in the meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Security Chidambaram has been a votary of withdrawal of AFSPA from those districts where militancy has nose dived.During the recent review of the security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir in New Delhi the Union Home Secretary has suggested to the state police and the paramilitary forces,deployed in Jammu and Kashmir,to step up their counter insurgency operations so that more areas and districts in the state could become free from militancy-related activities and violence. Not a bad idea.
But as far as the issue of withdrawal of AFSPA from some areas is concerned the matter should be left to the Army to decide.Whether the situation calls for withdrwal of AFSPA or not is a matter that only the Army and the other security agencies can decide.By sitting in his cosy room at his residence or in the civil secretariat Omar Abdullah is in no way capable of making the right decision on the issue and equally right assessment on the security situation that exists in the state. |
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