Congress not in favour of AFSPA withdrawal till everybody agreeable

Srinagar: The decision of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to revoke Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and Disturbed Areas Act (DAA) from some areas received a setback when its major coalition partner Congress expressed its reservations.

However, the Chief Minister’s decision found support from the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The common man on the streets remained unconcerned with the announcement.
Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Saifuddin Soz said AFSPA will end only when there is no militancy while a Congress minister in the Omar government, Taj Mohiuddin, said the decision about its withdrawal should be taken only after everybody agreed to it.
The Chief Minister made it clear yesterday that AFSPA would be withdrawn from some areas as promised by him to people.
Mr Abdullah, who faced a tough time from the entire opposition for the past more than a month after the death of a National Conference (NC) worker Syed Mohammad Yousuf Shah allegedly after being tortured in the house of the Chief Minister, found support from the main opposition PDP to his move to withdraw AFSPA and DAA.
Prof Soz said both the Acts should go only when the militancy ends in the state.
He said if the Mr Abdullah was confident that militancy has ended in some areas then he should identify such places and discuss it with the Defence and Home ministries.
The PCC chief said the Chief Minister should acquire a broader consensus before taking such a decision.
Mr Taj, a senior Congress minister in the Omar Abdullah government, said the Acts should be removed only when everybody agreed to it.
There should be consultations at various levels within Jammu and Kashmir and later at the Central level before a final decision was made.