Army only block in AFSPA revocation: Farooq

JAMMU, Apr 7: The Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy and the National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah today reiterated that army was the only block (ade) in the way of revocation of Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA). On account of Afzal Guru’s execution, he said he was not taken into loop by the Centre. Farooq rued the denial of meeting to Guru’s family before his execution yet he became evasive too on this count as contradictions stare at him. To one question, he said, “The central government has got its own powers and they use their own powers without saying anything to the state government.”  Yet to the very next query as why Chief Minister could not take up this issue with the Centre when informed about the decision to execute Guru, his answer was, “Ask the Chief Minister.”

Farooq was interacting with the media after the release of book “Kerala- The Thiyyas of North Malabar & One Thiyya Family’s story” by Prof Suneethi Bakshi and other book on “Silk Route” penned by Dr Mohammed Munir Alam of Jammu University at Hotel Asia. In case of AFSPA revocation, Farooq shared the page with his Chief Minister son to the extent of probing Centre as why it (Centre) was not revoking AFSPA from those areas where it was not required.  Yet he avoided linking this issue with Guru’s execution as Omar had done. The Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had recently dared the Centre to take a `calculated risk’ on AFSPA revocation as repeatedly demanded by J&K and show the same audacity it (Centre) showed in the execution of Afzal Guru ignoring state’s genuine concerns. Farooq represented Centre as he said “We’re the ones who can revoke it and we’re the ones who can bring it back, if needed.”  Confronted with a counter-query, he donned the role of state saying `This is not my law. This I cannot revoke…only the Centre can do this.”

FOLLOWING ARE THE EXCERPTS FROM THE MEDIA INTERACTION:

TIME RIPE FOR AFSPA REVOCATION:

 What’s his take vis-à-vis debate on Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) particularly in wake of spiraling incidents of stone-pelting, unrest in the Valley and the Chief Minister’s challenge to the Centre on this account?

This was how the answer came from the Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, “I’ve made an unequivocal statement. You people don’t watch Parliament proceedings. I earlier said the same thing but you people (media) rake it up again and again. We say that wherever it is not required, it should be revoked.

Is AFSPA required in Jammu, Samba or Kathua?

Similarly in the Kashmir Valley, there are certain areas where the AFSPA is not required,” he said.  Sharing the page with his Chief Minister son on this count, the National Conference president said, “The time has come to allow the people to heave a sigh of relief now. It is desirable now to look into these aspects and revoke it. If the situation deteriorates in future or things go out of control following its revocation, it (AFSPA) can be enforced yet again. Uthaaney Waaley Bhi Hum Hain Lagaaney Waaley Bhi Hum Hain…To Kyun Nahin Utha Saktay Woh (We’re the ones who can revoke it and we’re the ones who can bring it back, if needed. Then why they cannot revoke it).”

WITH NC AS PART OF CENTRE, WHY IT IS NOT BEING REVOKED:

The counter question was – if the power was there with them to revoke and NC was part of the Centre, then why it was not being done.  Farooq’s take on that account was, “Yeh Mera Kanoon Nahin….. Yeh Main Nahin Utha Sakta Yeh Centre Ko Uthana Hai. State Nahin Utha Sakti Jab Tak Centre Is Pay Agree Nahin Kareygi…(This is not my law. This I cannot revoke…only the Centre can do this…The state cannot move forward as long as the Centre agrees to it).”

WHY FAILED TO CONVINCE ALLIANCE PARTNER (CENTRE)?:

Faced with this pointed query, Farooq said, “Our Chief Minister has done his best efforts. There’s lot of agreement in the Centre, he met many people. Our block is only at one place i.e., the army. That’s the only block. Otherwise you look at the spectrum. It’s a wide spectrum. Even the interlocutors have suggested that this should be repealed.”

SC STAY ON EXECUTION OF EIGHT DEATH ROW PRISONERS SO AS NOT TO REPEAT WHAT HAPPENED IN CASE OF GURU DENYING HIM LAST MEETING WITH FAMILY:

Confronted with a query as whether the state government’s stand was vindicated with the Supreme Court’s decision as the former had been crying hoarse over denial of meeting to family with Afzal Guru before his execution, Farooq responded in affirmative. “We repeatedly told them (Centre) that he (Afzal Guru), his family were denied last meeting. Today I’m very elated that not just us even the Supreme Court too shares the same observation and it has admitted that a wrong has been committed.”

WHY COULD THE CHIEF MINISTER NOT TAKE UP THIS ISSUE WITH CENTRE?:

When asked as why the Chief Minister could not take up this issue with the Centre when he was informed about the decision to execute Guru, Farooq’s initial response was, “The central government has got its own powers and they use their own powers without saying anything to the state government. I’m also a member of the government. I was not informed that this was going to happen. I came to know like everybody else.” However, when the question was repeated, he said, “I’m not the Chief Minister. I cannot answer on behalf of the Chief Minister. This question you should ask him.”

 WAS THE DENIAL OF MEETING TO GURU WITH FAMILY A BLUNDER?: `

Let the bygones by bygones’ was the sum up of Farooq’s answer to this query loaded with a philosophical connotation. “Jo Ho Gaya So Ho Gaya…Agar Baar Baar Iss Baat Ka Hum Dhol Bajatey Gaye To Hum Marham Nahin Lagayengay Logon Kay Dilon Par….(Whatever happened, has happened. If we continue to rake up this issue again and again, we won’t be able to heal up the wounds of people). If we continue to scratch the wounds of people, only the blood will ooze out of them. Waqt Aa Gaya Hai Jo Galti Hui Hai Aap Usay Theek Karnay Ki Koshish Karein Aur Aagey Koi Aisi Galti Na Ho Sakay…(This is the time to rectify the blunder so that it is not repeated in future).”

Source: http://www.kashmirtimes.com/newsdet.aspx?q=14821