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| Omar's changing attitude towards AFSPA | | | ET Report
Jammu, Aug 19: On August 15, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah acknowledged that situation in the State was not conducive for the revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). "I have no hesitation in saying that we wanted to reach a position where we could revoke the AFSPA from some areas of the State. But, unfortunately, we have not reached that point yet," he said in his Independence Day address at the Bakshi Stadium, Srinagar. This statement of the CM is being described by many as a complete U-turn as well as a major climb down.
It was on October 21 last year that the CM announced revocation of the AFSPA and the Disturbed Areas Act (DAA) from some areas of the State within the next few days. He made this policy statement while addressing the Police Commemoration Day at Zewan near Srinagar and asserted that revocation of these laws will have no adverse affects on the situation in the State. From that day onwards the CM made statement after statement on the AFSPA clearly suggesting that he would take rest only after this Act was revoked or "suitably" amended. The Defence Ministry reportedly did not appreciate the CM's statement. They opposed the CM's plan, but "agreed to start reduction in the visibility and presence of the Army in the civilian areas".
On November 2, the Chief Minister explained his stand on the AFSPA. He claimed that he had only announced his intention to "partially lift AFSPA and not announced a decision on the issue". In an interview with NDTV 24X7, he said that "he would convene a meeting of Unified Head Quarter (UHQ) and cabinet in Jammu shortly to formally discuss the issue". Asked will he revoke AFSPA if the Congress and the Army continued to oppose the revocation, he said "he would like to go ahead after proper consultations in the cabinet, UHQ and Home Minister and others". He also said that the "revocation of AFSPA is within the jurisdiction of the State Government and that this has been also stated by the union Home Minister P Chidambaram a number of times".
On December 2, he said in Delhi that Jammu and Kashmir should be looked at from the prism of peace and development and not just security as Kashmiriyat had withstood every attack on it. "The story of Jammu and Kashmir is of resilience, tolerance and the State is much more than AFSPA and violence," Omar said while inaugurating a three-day festival of the State in Delhi.
On December 29, the Chief Minister accused the PDP of talking in different tones about revocation of AFSPA in Srinagar, Jammu and New Delhi and asserted that his Government was committed to revoking the Act from the State. "It is top priority of our Government," he said at a public rally in Shadipora area of Ganderbal district after inaugurating a bridge over river Jhelum. In between, he also set up a "high level committee" comprising Principal Secretary, Home, BR Sharma; Director General of Police (DGP), Kuldeep Khoda; Additional DGP, K Rajendra; and a representative of Army to meet Defence Secretary, Shashikant Sharma, Home Secretary, RK Singh, and Army chief Gen VK Singh to persuade them to start "phased withdrawal of AFSPA".
On January 5, when he completed three years in office, Omar Abdullah asserted that the issue of "partial" withdrawal of AFSPA had not been put on the "backburner" and that "this demand of his Government is rightful, based on logic and not on emotions". "We will pursue it in the coming weeks and months. It doesn't mean that the issue has been put on backburner just because it was not being talked about at the moment. I believe the line we have taken (on withdrawal of AFSPA) is based on logic and not on emotions. I intend to pursue it to its logical conclusion'', he said, adding that "he believed that there is a rightful case for gradual withdrawal of AFSPA from those areas where Army is not operating for years".
On January 25, Omar said that he had continuously advocated revocation of the laws which have been imposed in the State with the start of militancy. "Since there has been gradual improvement in the situation with the passage of time and the process of improvement is going on as such my endeavour would continue to work for revocation of these laws", he said, adding "his Government is working on softening the provisions of Public Safety Act and a Bill to this regard will be tabled in the Legislature". He said so while addressing the people from Doordarshan and All India Radio, Kashmir. It was part of his Republic Day address.
On January 29, the Chief Minister said "withdrawal of AFSPA" was "topping the agenda" and expressed surprise over "more resistance" from the Army for removal of the Act from certain areas of the State despite assurances that their interests would be protected. "Unfortunately, there is more resistance than I would have liked from the Army for the reasons I don't understand. It's a considered decision that the areas that we are looking at for the removal of AFSPA are the areas where we don't require the Army to operate. They are not operating on counter-insurgency grid. Unfortunately, the Army never had counter-insurgency as its task for district Srinagar. The State Government is ready to take into consideration rightful concerns of the Army. We understand Army has certain concerns regarding their establishment whether it is Badami Bagh (Cantonment area), Sharifabad and Tattu ground (Army camps). We are saying those areas, we will keep them out of ambit as in they will still qualify for AFSPA. What is the matter? This is the discussion that is going on," he said.
On March 28, he said: "Time has come for withdrawal of AFSPA from at least Srinagar, Budgam, Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts, which were free of militancy and where Army has not operated for years together as there was no presence of militants. We are not asking for AFSPA withdrawal from Sopore, Tral, Doda or Kupwara, but from the peaceful areas and we hope a beginning on this front would be made in the current year''. "The Government is yet to arrive on a unanimous decision on partial withdrawal of AFSPA. All agencies, except the Army, are in favour of revocation of this Act. The reality is that we could not reach unanimous decision on it (revocation of AFSPA). The reality is that it was deliberated upon in Unified Command meeting. All agencies, except the Army, were in favour of revocation of AFSPA", he also said. He, in addition, expressed his regret that he could not fulfill his promise of partial revocation of AFSPA from the state. "It was my wish that AFSPA is revoked from certain areas of State but the same could not happen. The army was found involved in many controversies and once these issues are sorted out then I am hopeful that some decision would be taken about the revocation of AFSPA from some areas," he said.
On April 16, Omar Abdullah said that "now that there is a distinct change in the security environment in the State, there is a good case for reviewing the continuation of AFSPA. I am not advocating the withdrawal of AFSPA from districts and areas which are still infested with militancy, but a beginning can be made by withdrawing AFSPA from areas and districts which are not affected by the insurgent and terrorist activities."
On June 14, replying to a question as to whether the issue of AFSPA would be taken up once again with the Central Government after the change of guard in the Army with General Bikram Singh taking over as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) from Gen VK Singh, the Chief Minister said that "sensitive issue like partial withdrawal of AFSPA from the State can't be debated publicly". "At this moment, I can only say that discussions are on at appropriate level on the issue of partial withdrawal of AFSPA'', he also said.
These were some of the statements which were made by the Chief Minister. Compare the content of these statements with his August 15 statement and you will find many contradictions. In fact, one can say that the Chief Minister was never committed to revoking the AFSPA because its revocation would have created serious law and order problem for his Government. His August 15 statement that situation was not conducive for the revocation of AFSPA not only contradicts him, but also establishes that he was demanding withdrawal of this Act or an amendment to this Act on his own or without taking the Congress, the Army, and even the Union Government on board. This should speak about his way of working. |
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