New Delhi:
Ahead of an all-party meeting on Kashmir, the government Tuesday
rejected internal differences over the contentious Armed Forces
Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and expressed confidence that a
solution will be found, even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
accused the government of placating secessionists in the Valley.
Defence Minister A.K. Antony said the government will take a final
decision on a Kashmir package, including withdrawal of the AFSPA,
at the all-party meeting Wednesday morning that will be chaired by
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"Before we take a final decision, it is better to involve
everyone," Antony said.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), which met here Monday,
deferred a decision on withdrawing the AFSPA from certain parts of
Jammu and Kashmir. This was one of the measures being considered
to defuse the volatile situation in the Valley, where 88 people,
mainly teenagers and youth, have died in violent protests since
June 11.
The CCS also decided to convene Wednesday's all-party meeting to
consider the way forward in Kashmir.
Asked why the CCS was not able to take a decision on a Kashmir
package, especially on AFSPA, despite a three-hour-long meeting,
Antony said: "Important decisions have to be taken after carefully
assessing all aspects."
"Ultimately, we thought before we take a final decision, we will
take into confidence all the major parties so that everybody is
involved," he said. "Don't worry, we will take a decision.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) is the all-party meeting. After that, we will
take a decision," he said.
The government also rejected reports of differences over handling
the crisis in the violence-hit state. There are no differences in
the cabinet on the AFSPA, Information and Broadcasting Minister
Ambika Soni said.
"The situation is serious in Kashmir. Discussions are needed
before a decision can be taken (on the demand for repealing or
diluting the act in the state)," Soni said.
The AFSPA gives army officers legal immunity for their action
while operating in "disturbed areas". The National Conference, the
People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the separatists are demanding
the lifting of AFSPA in the Kashmir Valley as they think it will
help address the alienation among the Kashmiri people who feel
this act has been abused by armed forces to inflict human rights
abuses.
Amid the opposition's fresh onslaught on the government's handling
of the Kashmir crisis, Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily expressed
confidence that a solution would "definitely" be found to the
issue. Manmohan Singh was applying his mind to find a solution and
"we will definitely find a solution so that we can resolve the
conflict", he said in Bangalore.
The BJP and the security establishment, however, opposed any
rethink on AFSPA. "Soldiers while involved in performing their
duty need legal protection if you want them to be efficient,"
Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik said.
The BJP upped the ante and was unsparing in accusing the
government of "bending over backwards" to placate secessionists in
the Valley.
Speaking at the concluding session of a two-day workshop for
spokespersons and media cell convenors of the BJP, Advani slammed
the government over the deteriorating situation in Kashmir.
"There is no government worth the name in Jammu and Kashmir. It
has completely collapsed, ceding the ground to secessionists.
However, the mess in Kashmir is not the making of only the
government in Srinagar. In New Delhi, the UPA government is
totally clueless and spineless," he said.
Advani said while the situation in the country was a cause of
concern on many counts, in Jammu and Kashmir it was "indeed
alarming".
"Each passing day strengthens our apprehension that the UPA
government is about to capitulate before Pakistan-supported
secessionists," he said.
Advani said that instead of giving a fitting reply to
secessionists, the government has been "demonizing" the security
forces.
"There is continuing talk of diluting the AFSPA, and withdrawal of
the forces. This is nothing but a surrender before Islamabad's
strategy of breaking India's post-1947 unity."
"I would like to warn the UPA government that if they decide to
bow before the secessionists' designs in J&K, the country will not
pardon them," Advani said.
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