By News Agency of Kashmir
New Delhi : Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Ms Mehbooba Mufti has reiterated her party’s resolve to work for reduction of troops deployed on internal security in the State and get the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) scrapped.
Reacting to the Republic Day message of the Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha, Ms Mufti said comparisons of different territorial situations on troop deployment is not only surprising but out of place. She said while the views of the State Governor deserve to be respected, if expressed in confidence, their public expression was completely uncalled for, especially if references were made to situations prevailing in three different and independent countries.
The PDP President said her party had taken up the matter of troop cut with the Central Government which was the ultimate decision-making authority and the Prime Minister had responded positively by putting in place a mechanism to address the issue. “Some small beginnings had in fact been made, though these are wholly inadequate,” she said and added that the decision on troop cut, whenever taken, will be on the basis of the ground situation in the State and could not be influenced by what is happening in Waziristan or Tibet. “It is for the governments of those countries to assess their requirements in Waziristan and Tibet and respond as they think fit,” she said and added what is good for a goose was not the same in the case for the gander.
Mehbooba maintained that at one point of time heavy deployment of forces was necessary to curb violence in the State, but that situation exists no more. “Levels of violence have gone down sharply and peoples’ participation in political and democratic exercises has increased to unprecedented levels,” she said and added that in election after election people are participating in great numbers and economic activity is back. “The one negative feedback on the reviving tourism industry is the rather intruding and overwhelming presence of security forces, bunkers and barbed wire fencings on Kashmir landscape,” she said and added this unfortunate trend is now finding more and more mention in travel write-ups from Kashmir.
“While one would desist from offering public advice to the constitutional head of the State, it is expected that the Governor as a fatherly figure for the whole State takes note of the public sentiment and channels it appropriately rather than bringing totally extraneous elements into the discourse on State’s internal security,” Mehbooba said.
The PDP President pointed out that it has always been maintained as part of the country’s national policy that decisions on the troop deployment in Jammu & Kashmir will be taken strictly on the merits of the situation. “But Gen Sinha’s point of view could create wrong and exploitable apprehensions on this count, both within and outside the State,” she said and added that drawing parallels with other countries internal matters would only complicate the situation and tend to increase the difficulties for the people and the country.
“Should it then be concluded that the levels of deployment in Kashmir should be dictated by the actions of Pakistan in Waziristan and China in Tibet,” Ms Mufti wondered and said this has to be a decision of the nation of India, its Government and its elected representatives in the larger interest of the State and the country. She said one of the Working Groups had clearly recommended scrapping of the laws giving special powers to the security forces and implementation of these recommendations along-with other proposals should be put on a fast track in the interest of peace and stability in the State.