Srinagar:
A crucial meeting of the Unified Command was held at Srinagar today to discuss the contentious Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir. Headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the Unified Command is the top decision-making body on matters concerning security in the state. Today's meeting was attended by representatives from the Army and remained inconclusive as both sides stuck to their stand.
Sources tell NDTV that the Chief Minister talked tough at the meeting. Omar Abdullah reportedly said that he wasn't to blame for a unilateral decision on withdrawal and that the committee set up on the AFSPA's revocation last year had not come up with their recommendations.
Opposing even the partial revocation of the AFSPA, Army representatives reportedly said that it was not a local problem but a national problem and hence shouldn't be treated as a local law and order issue. They added that the withdrawal of the law from select areas would break the security and intelligence grid.
To buttress their arguments further, they said that the committee set up last year to look into AFSPA had not given its recommendations because all other agencies, except the Army, were yet to give their inputs.
Sources told NDTV that the Army also pointed out that, in February this year, it had said that it was not possible to withdraw the Act even partially.
Making a strong case for his proposal to lift AFSPA from areas where the Army is not actively engaged, Mr Abdullah had said earlier today that "one cannot wait till the last gun falls silent. We have to take steps like this at some point."
"It is not our intention to lift AFSPA from areas where the Army still needs to perform its duties. We've never said we'll lift AFSPA from areas such as Sopore, Baramulla and Kupwara. If the act is revoked from areas where the Army hasn't been active in years, why should that be a problem? If there are areas where the Army hasn't been active in, then why do they need that protection?" the Chief Minister has said ahead of the Unified Command meeting.
Responding to apprehensions on the timing of his proposal, he said, "For the last few years, militancy has been on the decrease. If we say we are going to wait for the last gun to fall silent and then take action, then perhaps that time will never come. We have to take steps like this at some point."
But Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader Tara Chand, who was also present at the meeting, said that the Centre and other intelligence agencies must be consulted before taking a decision on the revocation of the controversial Act. Congress leaders in the state have earlier complained that they were not consulted over the partial lifting of the Act. The Congress partners with Mr Abdullah's National Conference party in the state government.
All the parties, though, including Mr Abdullah agreed that the subject needed more discussions.
The Chief Minister had announced the decision to call a meeting of the Unified Command in an interview to NDTV. In his first detailed interview since the debate erupted, Omar Abdullah had told NDTV that he had stuck his neck out and he stood by his intention. He had added that the time had come to stop waiting for an elusive consensus and take a chance with his peace proposal.
(Watch the full interview here)