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| Interlocutors report to be revisited in CCS meet | | No revocation, 3 amendments proposed in AFSPA: Chidambaram | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
Jammu, Apr 10: Union Home Ministry has sought three amendments in controversial Armed Forced Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the proposal is pending before the Cabinet Committee on Security.
This was stated by P Chidambaram today while talking to reporters outside the state guest house here today. The Home Minister said "We have sought three amendments to the act and the proposal is pending with Cabinet Committee on Security." Regarding Interlocutors report on Jammu and Kashmir, Chidambaram said "Interlocutors Report is at New Delhi and would be made public after being revisited during the meet of Cabinet Committee on Security."
High profile Cabinet Committee on Security is headed by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and includes four members viz. Union Minister of Finance Pranab Mukherjee, Union Defence Minister A.K. Antony, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Union External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna. Earlier, Chidambaram had said that national security advisor Shiv Shanker Menon was trying to schedule a meeting of the high profile cabinet committee on security.
He had further said that the report would see the light early in the new financial year (starting on April 1). He added that he stood firm on his commitment to make the report public. Interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir comprising noted journalist Dilip Padgaonkar, academician Radha Kumar and MM Ansari, had submitted their report to Chidambaram on October 12 last year in which they touched on a variety of issues including the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act confronting the state.
It was expected that an all-party meeting would be called to discuss the report of the interlocutors but only after CCS takes a view on that. Meanwhile, Chidambaram's statement on AFSPA comes at a time when Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been repeatedly saying that he would get AFSPA revoked from certain parts of the state where the situation has improved during the last one decade.
Omar has not even once referred to amendments in AFSPA and instead, stressed that Centre would lift AFSPA from Srinagar, Budgam, Kathua and Jammu districts. Earlier, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah pleaded with Home Minister P Chidambaram for revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from four districts of the state during a high level meeting to review security.
Meeting, chaired by Chidambaram and attended by civil, police, paramilitary, and intelligence officials, also discussed a strategy for "consolidating gains of 2011", making public the interlocutors report as well as security measures in the state. Official sources said that Abdullah began by talking about need to revoke AFSPA from peaceful areas where the Army has conducted minimal operations during the last one decade.
Omar wanted AFSPA be lifted from districts like Jammu, Samba and Kathua in the Jammu region and Srinagar and Budgam in the Kashmir Valley.
They added that during the meeting, graphs showing steady decline in militancy since the year 2010 were presented. Official sources said that state police strongly pointed out that data reflects steep and drastic decline in militancy. State government also sought reduction in the security forces footprint from the Kashmir Valley this summer to give more air of normalcy and peace.
About 80 bunkers, mostly from Srinagar, were removed last year and if the police sources are to be believed, there are plans to remove 25 more this year. Omar further told the Home Minister that the report of the interlocutors on the state should be made public and its recommendations implemented.
The panel of three interlocutors - journalist Dileep Padgaonkar, academician Radha Kumar and former information commissioner MM Ansari - was formed in October 2010. It submitted the report in October 2011. The meeting also took stock of the overall security scenario in the state, infiltration of militants from Pakistan, strategy to counter militancy and steps for synergy between security and intelligence agencies.
Chidambaram arrived on Tuesday morning for a day-long visit to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and also pay obeisance at the Vaishno Devi shrine. He began his visit by undertaking the journey to Vaishno Devi, about 50 km from Jammu in the Trikuta hills. He boarded a chopper for Sanji Chhat and from there moved on foot to reach the shrine. He was accompanied by Governor NN Vohra, who also heads the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board that manages the affairs of the shrine. After visiting the shrine, the minister chaired the security meeting. |
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