PDP Brought AFSPA, We'll Revoke It: Omar
Srinagar, Aug 27, KONS – Asserting that Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) will be revoked during the tenure of his government with the gradual improvement in the situation, the Chief Minister, Mr. Omar Abdullah Thursday said in the Legislative Assembly that PDP has brought AFSPA in the State and “God willing, we will revoke this during our tenure of the government”.
The Chief Minister was replying the 2-day discussion on his grants in the House. He had moved the Demand for grants yesterday morning for the departments under his charge and 42 members spoke on the grants during the two days. As many as 529 cut motions were moved by the members to discuss the departments under the control of the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister told PDP opposition that records bear testimony that during the three years tenure of PDP they neither talked of any political solution of Jammu and Kashmir nor said anything about removing AFSPA or de-militarization. “I have gone through all records and not found even a letter or any reference that your Sar Parast (Mufti Mohammad Sayeed) has ever written about any of these matters to the Prime Minister or made any reference in the Unified Command meetings”, he maintained.
Quoting the statement of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed made at Ganderbal after his taking over as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir telling the people “Mujahideen ab bundook rakho aap key numaindey aap key liye baat karney aayain hain (Mujahid: You drop the gun now, as your own representatives have come to talk for you). Mr. Omar said that after making this statement, the PDP patron and the then Chief Minister never talked about this issue nor took any action in this direction.
“You may look by your statements to be anti-national but I do not consider you or your actions anti-national in any manner as the records again bear testimony to the same”, he said adding that in the first seven months of PDP government 850 militants were killed and in the year 2003 the number of militants killed was 1490 while as it stood at 976 in 2004 and 917 during 2005. The Chief Minister said that the records of Parliament are also testimony to the fact that Ms. Mehbooba Mufti, the then Parliament Member, never spoke even a word in the Parliament about Kashmir issue, AFSPA, de-militarization, etc.
Omar said that someone has rightly coined the name of ‘demand supply’ politics for PDP adding that the party tailors the slogans according to the market needs. “The records speak loud and clear about your politics of making hollow slogans according to need of the market”, he said giving the example of the Amarnath land row. He said that PDP was part and parcel of the decision regarding the Amarnath land grant but sensing the pulse of people, it took the party minutes to take u-turn ditching its own partner. He also referred to the opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road and said that PDP left no occasion to get credit for the decision made by India and Pakistan. “However, when out of power Ms Mehbooba Mufti at a seminar in Jamia Melia said that the opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road was mere a gimmick (Dekhawa). Similarly, PDP cries on the top of its voice about task force, when in fact it is the same party which strengthened the task force and passed on it to Mr. Azad’s government where from my government inherited the force. This all substantiates the correct coinage of ‘demand supply’ politics made for the PDP”.
Omar said that voices are also being raised about the land under the occupation of army and security forces. Explaining the facts, he said that out of the total land under the occupation of army and security forces, 35 percent is in Jammu, 46 percent in Ladakh region and 17 percent in Kashmir Valley. “When army and security forces are defending our boundaries they have to be placed somewhere”, he said.
Omar said that the graph of human rights violation has been lowest during the seven months of his government and efforts were on to bring it to the zero level.
Giving figures he said that during the period of November 2, 2002 to June 18, 2003 the civilians killed in the State in violence acts were 517 while as the figure during the last seven months of his government stood at 53. Similarly, there has been remarkable decrease in the violence acts during the same period. He said while as 851 militants were killed during November 2002 to June 2003, militants killed during January 5, 2009 to August 21, 2009 were 148, likewise 42 police personnel were killed between November 2002 to June 2003 while as the number stood at only 6 during the last seven months of his government.
Omar said that the concern of his government to uphold human rights under all circumstances is loud and clear. “Whenever any incident of human rights violation was reported, we acted promptly and delivered on ground”, he said citing the example of Bomia, Khaigam, Larkipora, Baramulla and the individual cases of Mr. Manzoor Ahmad Baig and Mr. Asrar Ahmad Dar of Maisuma.
Referring to the Shopian incident, Mr. Omar said that since this unfortunate and heinous crime took place, he has not come out of the impact of the tragedy and is constantly thinking about booking the culprits and punishing them severely whosoever high he may be.
Omar said that for the first time since last 20 years the Republic Day function on 26th January and Independence Day function on 15th August were held in a conducive and peaceful atmosphere without interfering with the daily life routine of the people.
“This can be visualized by the fact that on the Independence Day 2.5 lakh locals and tourists visited Pahalgam and over 1.5 lakh Gulmarg”, He said and added that to bring J&K police on forefront and the security forces on the second line, is the determination of the coalition government which will be achieved gradually.
Omar said that his government has taken steps to strengthen State Human Rights Commission and the recommendations of the Commission with regard to complaints of human rights are being actively considered. He said the Empowered Committee in its five sittings has considered all the recommendations made by State Human Rights Commission and disposed off 141 during last seven months. While as, out of 1008 recommendations made by the Commission 578 have been disposed off so far.
The Chief Minister said that his government does not want to detain leaders like Syed Ali Shah Geelani but is compelled to take this action for the maintenance of law and order and safeguarding the general masses from unnecessary violence, killings and harassment. However, he said the graph of his government on this count is even better than that of PDP government during which 228 arrests were made and 142 releases effected in the first seven months. While as during the seven months of my government only 152 people were arrested and 121 released.
Of the arrestees, 17 were foreign terrorists and 33 timber smugglers, he said, “I do not want to hold the separatist leaders under PSA even for a day extra if they do not disturb law and order. It is unfortunate they abet the innocent youth to resort to uncalled for stone-pelting on security forces putting their lives to danger while they, their children and families relish the comforts of their homes.
The Chief Minister made it clear that his government would work for restoring the two track dialogue channel between India and Pakistan and the Centre and the State involving all shades of opinions to realize political settlement of all issues pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir. “I have learnt that the Chairman, Working Group on Centre-State relations, Mr. Sageer Ahmad is submitting the recommendations of the group to the Prime Minister, but I would like him to at least convene a meeting of the members of the group for final review of the recommendations before the report is submitted”.
On unemployment crises, the Chief Minister said that his government has provided jobs to 12000 educated youth in seven months and 41000 more jobs will be provided to youth by December 2010. “We are trying our best to accommodate the educated youth in government service but the problem could not be solved by the government alone”, he said and added that we have kept provisions in the budget to encourage self-employment and constitute Oversee Employment Corporation to address the problem in a bigger way.
Justifying on spot recruitment in police department for the youth of far-flung and cut-off areas like Gurez, Machhil, Bani, Keran, Karneh, Zanskar, Marwah, Warwan, etc the Chief Minister said that this is being done to provide opportunity to the youth of these areas to get their share in the police recruitment. “There is no political interference at any level in this regard”, he said adding that the Police Department itself makes this recruitment as per the laid norms.
On power development, the Chief Minister said that during the next six years his government intends to generate 4000 MWs of power indigenously. He said a three pronged policy is being implemented to achieve the goal of harnessing maximum of 14000 MWs hydel potential of Jammu and Kashmir. “While some projects are being constructed under the State sector, certain projects are being implemented through NHPC and PPP mode is also being applied for joint ventures. Certain people are also making unnecessary cries about involving NHPC in the construction of power projects”, he said and added that government would take every decision in favour of the State and its people. There is no question of mortgaging or selling the waters of Jammu and Kashmir”, he made it clear and said that there are two options before us either to get zero out of the 100 percent we have or get 50 percent of the 100 percent we possess”, he added.
Referring to the handing over of operation and maintenance of Baglihar project to NHPC, the Chief Minister said that previous government’s had not made any provision of building trained staff to run the project on its own, as such, “we had to enter into a contract with NHPC for two years for management, operation and training of J&K engineers. We had either to keep the project shut or put it into the raw hands which could have damaged the project”, he said and made it clear that NHPC is only maintaining and operating the project for only two years which is 100 percent owned by the State government.
The Chief Minister said that his government is actively thinking of placing lump sum amounts at the disposal of District Development Boards in each district so that the Board earmarks these according to the needs of the particular district. “We are also enhancing the district plan to 50 percent and putting in a place a mechanism for remote, cut-off and far-flung areas to ensure that the allocations made for these areas do not lapse with the lapse of the financial year. A notification of such areas would be issued shortly”.
Omar said that he has also decided that the intra sectoral saving re-appropriation for every district would be made by the Chairman of the District Development Board so that the funds available are utilized in that district itself. “We are also bringing the central schemes under the purview of District Development Boards”, he added and said that additionalities for the districts will be made in the month of January instead of March to enable the district administration to spend the money before the end of financial year.
Omar said that the challenge before the government is not the availability of funds but “we have the challenge of spending the Rs. 5500 crore Plan funds plus Rs. 1200 crore under PMRP in right direction, judiciously and within the targeted period”. He asked the public representatives to extend their whole hearted support to the government in ensuring judicious expenditures in the right direction. “You have to play an important role as the members of District Development Boards to ensure that money available is spent properly and to the fullest benefit of the people at grassroots”, he appealed the legislators.
In response to the demand for enhancing the Constituency Development Fund for the legislators, the Chief Minister said that this year it has been raised from Rs. 35 lakhs to Rs. 50 lakhs and in the coming years its further enhancement would be considered positively keeping in the view the expenditures made on this count on various development works.
All the cut motions were withdrawn by the members and the grants of Chief Minister unanimously passed after the spellbound speech of about 120 minutes made by him in the House.
