AFSPA will go gradually: CM

Chief Minister, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed Monday said his government would initiate the gradual process of scrapping Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from Jammu and Kashmir as he had taken an oath to repeal the controversial law.
Reading out sections of Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janta Party coalition government, the chief minister said he is not going to jump to revoke AFSPA but would scrap it gradually.
“We will see the areas where AFSPA needs to be scrapped. I have taken oath that I will do it; yes I will do it but gradually. I need not to jump; I need to research first. I will take all the stakeholders on board and de-notify AFSPA in the areas where it is not needed. Army too has its standard procedures that they don’t have to fire so they have to be accountable till we revoke AFSPA,” Mufti said in Legislative Council.
The chief minister said that the government would be interested in initiating a meaningful dialogue with all the internal stakeholders irrespective of their ideological positions to resolve all issues.
“I conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose slogan for governance is development, transparency and good governance that these things will not be done without bringing peace in the state and he referred to the example of Atal Bihari Vajpayee who initiated friendship with Pakistan in 2002-03 from Kashmir,” Mufti said.
He added that when the CMP was framed, it was started with a sentence- “to request Government of India to begin unconditional dialogue with Pakistan”.
He said if India has to become a powerful country then it must maintain good relations with neighboring countries. “I am happy that we are trying to walk on the foot prints of Vajpayee ji and to extend hand of friendship to Pakistan.”
The chief minister said he believed that all issues could only be resolved with boli (talks) and not with goli (bullet). Referring to his recent discussion with GOC-in-C Northern Command Lt Gen DS Hooda, Mufti said, “I told him that you have to have a standard procedure.”
Referring to the killing of two youths in Army firing in Budgam, he said: “Two people were fired upon by the Army and killed, but I came to know that when prime minister was informed about it, he ordered an inquiry into it. The two boys were not terrorists but innocent civilians. He (PM) asked the Army to take the responsibility.”
Mufti said the prime minister made sure that the culprits in Machil fake encounter case too were punished. “In Machil fake encounter case, they killed innocent people for medals but the Army court-martialed them and made sure that they were punished,” he added.
Urging India to take a lead in engaging all SAARC countries, including Pakistan, in the dialogue process to usher in a new era of reconciliation, the chief minister said the PDP-BJP Government in J&K has the legitimacy it requires to fulfill the wishes and aspirations of people who voted with “great hope and expectations”.
LAND UNDER OCCUPATION
Mufti said his government is not against Army acquiring the land but wanted the forces to return the land which is not being used by them.
“All land other than the one given to security forces on lease license acquired under the provision of Land Acquisition Act shall be returned to the rightful legal owners except in a situation where retaining the land is absolutely imperative in view of specific security requirement,” he informed the Legislative Council.
He said there is huge disparity in the records maintained by the Army and revenue department. “5 lakh 7 thousand Kanals are under occupation according to the assessment of Army and more than 8 lakh as per the assessment by Revenue Department so a committee will be formed to assess the actual data.”
Mufti credited Election Commission of India and State administration for conducting free and fair polls in the state. He said people reposed trust in the present government as reflected in the “massive” participation of people of Jammu and Kashmir in polls. “I took the fractured verdict of J&K election as a challenge, an opportunity, as I have earlier said that PDP-BJP alliance was equivalent to connecting North Pole and South Pole but I took it as an opportunity to end the differences between the two regions of the State,” he added.
The chief minister said amid bloodshed of partition, Mahatma Gandhi had described J&K as a shining example of secularism. “This opportunity has once again come to us after 1947. I want to repeat history of Gandhian era when people of Jammu and Kashmir believed in oneness of all religions. The time when people used to kill each other in India, J&K was the only example of communal harmony. People of this state came together and became the shield for Muslims of India in 1946. I want to repeat that history again.”
Referring to the violence in boarder areas and the need to control them, he said that firing from across the border was a great challenge and he would leave no stone unturned to ensure peace at the border with Pakistan.
He said there was no violation of ceasefire from across the borders in Jammu region from 2002 to 2010. “We have to resolve the problem and ensure peace for the border residents. The farmers should work but not run; let our people on border do their work and farm on their own land.”
“Our border farmer is a big sufferer because his crops get damaged and lives are in danger because of firing from across the border,” he added.
Bilateral ceasefire signed by India and Pakistan in 2003 held well till the last two to three years bringing in a degree of normalcy into the lives of thousands of villagers living on the two sides of the international border and the LoC in Indian and Pakistan administered parts of divided Kashmir only till 2013.
“I want to tell everybody, that Pakistan, Pakistani Prime Minister and Pakistani establishment should be told that nobody should be allowed to cross into this side from that side. Then only there will be peace,” Mufti told the Legislative Council.
He was replying to supplementary queries posed by several members in the House on the CMP of the coalition government.
Complimenting Army for border fencing during the previous PDP rule, Mufti said, “From 2002 to 2010 from Kargil to Kathua there was no firing (on border). During our rule, we impressed on Gen N C Vij, the then Army Chief, to ensure fencing on the borders and there was full fencing. They (Pakistan) were not allowing us to construct the fence.”
He said that it was an effective means of checking infiltration. Now they (militants) have found out ways to cut into the fence. “There is some technique wherein you can cut the fence (for infiltration).”
“They are also throwing heroin and other narcotic materials over and above the fencing towards this side,” he said.
Mufti said people of Kashmir are being looked with suspicion where ever they go outside the state “but I am here to take out the needle of suspicion for a common Kashmiri. The time has come when needle of suspicion needs to go”.
Mufti said the internal dialogue was also agreed upon by the coalition government. “I hereby quote the CMP that the purpose of this alliance is to form a coalition government that will be empowered to bring reconciliation and confidence within and across state in Jammu and Kashmir thereby ensuring peace in the state. This will in turn create economic development in the state and prosperity of the people,” he said.
ARTICLE 370:
The chief minister said while recognizing different positions and appreciating the difference in perception between PDP and BJP over the constitutional status of J&K and considering the political and legislative reality, the current position will be maintained on all constitutional provisions related to J&K including the special status in the constitution of India.
PAK REFUGEES
“Our government is going to have one-time settlement of refuges from Pakistan-administered Kashmir of 1947, 1967, 1971. There is no way to ignore this issue. The CMP has decided to send a delegation of Ministers headed by Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh to sort out this issue.”
REHABILITATION OF FLOOD VICTIMS
Emphasizing on the issue of rehabilitation and compensation to the victims of 2014 flood fury, Mufti said he will send a delegation headed by the Finance Minister to talk to New Delhi for expediting a special package for rehabilitation and compensation of the flood victims. He said all affected people, especially small-time businessmen who had no insurance cover, as well as destitute, will be provided relief.
ON PSA:
The chief minister also spoke about the wrong media perception about the exact number of detainees held under PSA. “There are only 37 who are held under PSA, out of which 20 are foreign nationals, while only 17 locals, including 6 timber smugglers.” DRUG CONTROL IN J&K:
The chief minister also laid stress on the significance of controlling the drug addiction especially in Srinagar. “The drug addiction has become a big problem in the state but we will ensure that every shopkeeper sells medicines only on doctor’s prescription. There is an alarming record of drug addiction in our state. I, therefore, take it as a challenge to take urgent and necessary actions on the issue.”