“I am on the right track,” says Omar on AFSPA

South Kashmir has been traditionally a PDP stronghold and the Chief Minister chose this area for reiterating his demand for revocation of AFSPA and to directly guage the sentiments of the people here.

“I have heard some people saying that revocation of AFSPA was not a people’s demand. Raise your hands if you want AFSPA to go,” Omar said in Kashmiri,to which the crowd raised their hands in a sign of approval amid loud cheers.

The Chief Minister said the Centre’s view on the issue was that all the stakeholders,especially the Army, will be taken on board.

“We always wanted to take everyone along,” he said.

“In this regard,a decision has been taken to send a team comprising Director General of Police,Additional Director General of Police and Home Secretary to Delhi for holding talks with the (Union) Home department,Army Headquarters and Defence Ministry for preparing a roadmap,” he added.

He said the Centre’s Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS),the highest decision making body of the government on security related matters,has mandated the state government to look into the issue of phased revocation of AFSPA.

“Whatever is happening is as per the mandate of the CCS,which has mandated the state to look into the issue (AFSPA),” he said,emphasising there was an ample scope to address the concerns of the security forces especially the army while passing on the peace dividends to the people of the state.“We are trying to address the concerns of the army without engaging in public debate,” Omar said.

He said militancy was only five per cent of what it was in 2002. “The peace dividents should reach the people and the laws enacted due to militancy should go,” he added.

Taking a dig at opposition PDP criticism that he had raised the issue of AFSPA to save his chair,Omar said “I would have stayed silent like the then Chief Minister from 2002-2005 (Mufti Mohammad Sayeed).

“They (PDP) started talking about AFSPA revocation and self rule only after Ghulam Nabi Azad became the Chief Minister so that his work was hindered and his (popularity) graph did not go up,” he said.

Asked about the two committees formed at the peak of summer unrest last year to look into the AFSPA and Disturbed Areas Act,Omar said the committees did not do as much as they could have done.

“Having said that the committees are still active and looking into the matter,” he said.

My efforts for AFSPA revocation will continue: Omar

Maintaining that there was ample scope for addressing concerns of the Army,Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said he would continue his efforts for revocation of AFSPA in the state.

“I am on the right track and my efforts for gradual revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act will continue,” he told a public rally after inaugurating a grid station here.

Seeking approval from public,Omar said,“Raise your hands if you want AFSPA to go.” The gathering raised their hands in his support.

Omar said the Centre’s view on the issue was that all the stake-holders,especially the Army,should be taken on board.

“We always wanted to take everyone along…A decision has been taken to send a team comprising DGP,Additional DGP and Home Secretary to Delhi for talks with the Union Home Department,Army headquarters and Defence Ministry for preparing a road-map,” he said.

The chief minister said the Centre’s Cabinet Committee on Security has mandated the state government to look into the AFSPA revocation issue and there is ample scope to address the concerns of the security forces while passing on the peace dividends to people of the state.

“We are trying to address the concerns of the Army without engaging in public debate,” Omar said.

He said those who claim that only this year was peaceful in Kashmir should look at the graph for the last seven to eight years. “The militancy is only five per cent of what we had in 2002. The peace dividends should reach the people and the laws enacted due to militancy should go,” he said.

Responding to Opposition PDP’s criticism that he has raised the issue to save his chair,Omar said he would have stayed silent if that would have been the case.

“I would have stayed silent like the chief minister from 2002-2005 (Mufti Mohammad Sayeed). They (PDP) started talking about AFSPA revocation and self rule only after Ghulam Nabi Azad became the chief minister so that his work was hindered and his (popularity) graph did not go up,” he said.

On the two committees formed at the peak of summer unrest last year to look into the AFSPA and Disturbed Areas Act,Omar said the panels did not do as much as they could have done,however,those are “still active and looking into the matter”.