Srinagar, Oct 23, 2011: The Indian army opposing the repeal of the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) said that the conditions are not right for lifting the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act in from some areas in Jammu and Kashmir. .And this is what the Army has perhaps told the Cabinet Secretary who's in Jammu and Kashmir to assess the situation. Indian Army, CRPF, BSF personnel didn’t respond to Omar Abdulla’s AFSPA revocation call in a meeting on Sunday with the top Indian secretaries which was held in Sriangar.
The Indian Army's statement comes just two days after Omar Abdulalh said AFSPA would be rolled back from some areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
A Srinagar-based daily in a report said, the issue is likely to come up during a high level meeting to be chaired by the Indian Cabinet Secretary, Ajit Kumar Seth in Srinagar.
High-level sources have said that the Defence Ministry - on the advice of the Army - is opposed to revocation of AFSPA even from selected areas.
The report quoting sources said that even as the administration was preparing a blueprint for the withdrawal of the AFSPA, the Army had expressed its reservation over the issue. “There is no guarantee about the situation and wait and watch policy is the best option right now,” the report said quoting top officials.
Meanwhile, an Indian news channel quoting sources reported that Indian Defence Ministry is not in agreement with Omar Abdullah regarding withdrawal of the AFSPA from some parts. “Defence Ministry - on the advice of the Indian Army - is opposed to revocation of AFSPA even from selected areas of J&K,” they said.
The Indian interlocutors had earlier this month recommended to the Indian Home Minister the withdrawal of the Act from Jammu and Kashmir. The report had recommended review of AFSPA and withdrawal of the Disturbed Areas Act from peaceful areas of the valley
It touched upon human rights violations, with special provisions for widows of violence.
One of the Indian interlocutors, Dileep Padgaonkar, said, "Report will be shared with an all party delegation."
Amid reports of the Indian Defence Ministry's opposition to the withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from certain areas in Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian party Congress, the main ally of the Omar Abdullah-led regime, also voiced its reservations.
In a hard-hitting statement, senior Congress leader and general secretary of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Ashok Bhan on Sunday accused Mr. Abdullah of appeasing radical political elements in Jammu and Kashmir.
ndian Cabinet secretary Ajit Kumar Seth on Sunday led a 17-member Indian team of secretaries that called on governor N N Vohra and discussed with him internal and external security scenarios, report TOI.
Seth's visit came two days after Omar Abdullah announced partial revocation of some emergency measures widely perceived to be draconian. This is for the first time in a decade that such a large team of top bureaucrats of India has visited Srinagar, sources said.
Three top Indian secretaries -- Seth, home secretary R K Singh and defence secretary Shashi Kant Sharma, convey reservations of the defence ministry about the removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from some areas of J&K, sources said.
Army, CRPF, BSF didn’t respond to Omar Abdulla’s AFSPA revocation call in a meeting on Sunday with the top Indian secretaries. Human Rights groups have long denounced AFSPA and the Disturbed Areas Act as they give men in uniform and all Indian forces sweeping powers to raid houses without warrants, detain and shoot to kill besides giving them impunity from prosecution.
Hurriyet leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Syed Ali Geelani, Mohammad Yasin Malik and other liberation leaders have demanded repeal of all draconian laws that violated the basic human rights of the people in Kashmir. News agencies