Backing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah,a Jammu and Kashmir interlocutor M M Ansari today said Centre must give "full support" to the plan for partial revocation of AFSPA in the border state at the earliest to reduce any "trust deficit". M M Ansari,who was part of the three-member central panel of interlocutors that went into finding permanent solution to problems in Kashmir,also said the Army should leave implementation of civilian activities to the state government. The former Central Information Commissioner,whose panel submitted its report on October 12,said Centre needed to support Omar in his endeavour for partial lifting of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). This way we can kill two birds with one stone. The trust deficit with New Delhi will reduce drastically and the general perception about governance deficit would also be addressed simultaneously," Ansari said. It was high time to show that democracy existed as much as in the state as in any part of the country, he added. Omar is pressing for lifting AFSPA from parts of J and K while Army has voiced reservations on the move. Touching upon Army's role in civilian works,Ansari said,"Operation Sadhbhavna of the Army under which they involve in educational and health spheres should be left to the state government." Ansari said during his meetings with the Army commanders,he had suggested that these camps should be stopped all together especially in suburban areas as this projected a negative image of the state government. "One can understand such facilities in far-flung and border areas but not in suburban areas and the logic given by the Army is not convincing. If they have to do something for poor,let them come to slum clusters in Delhi or Mumbai,we have lot of them," he added. Ansari brushed aside reports that peace was fragile in the state and the situation would return to early 1990's in case AFSPA was revoked,saying it was a perception being floated by people who thrive on unrest in the state. "We cannot just brush aside arrival of over one million tourists in the state,besides successful holding of panchayat elections in the state after three decades," he said,asserting that it was right time for consolidating the peaceful environment. He said people of the state were gradually feeling the need for more political and economical merger with the rest of the country. "Its now our duty to live upto their expectations," Ansari said. While strongly advocating for partial revocation of AFSPA,Ansari also sought strict monitoring of Public Safety Act used by the J-K police. However,he said the PSA had a monitoring mechanism. "This year we have come across many cases where the courts have struck down the police plea for making arrests under PSA," he said,adding "however,in AFSPA,there is no check as no one has been prosecuted so far.
