Unified Command in J-K to decide on AFSPA issue: Antony
merisarkar news service New Delhi, November 11, 2011
Command will decide: Antony
Amid controversy over the issue of revocation of AFSPA from parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Defence Minister A K Antony on Friday said the final decision on it would be taken by the Unified Command Headquarters in the state.
"The CCS last year decided to leave it to the Unified Command to take a decision on partial withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir," Antony told reporters in New Delhi on Friday.
The Defence Minister was asked to comment on the issue of revocation of AFSPA and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's statement that he had the authority to withdraw it from the state.
Abdullah had said, "As chief minister of the state, I have the authority to lift AFSPA."
He has been seeking partial withdrawal of AFSPA in areas where militancy has been contained and where the Army does not operate.
Antony said the Defence Ministry has already conveyed its view to the Government on the sensitive issue and there should be no public debate on it.
At the last Unified Command meeting in Jammu on Wednesday, Abdullah had said that AFSPA had to be partially withdrawn from the state.
During the nearly three-hour long meeting, the Army gave a presentation highlighting the importance of AFSPA in fighting militancy in the state and also suggested that even a partial withdrawal will be detrimental to the security apparatus.
The Defence Ministry has supported the Army on the issue, which thinks that revocation of the controversial act will handicap the capability of the force to conduct counter insurgency operations.
Recently, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen K T Parnaik had said the Army requires the provisions to enable it to act and removing the AFSPA from certain areas of the state will make it difficult for the Army to operate.
Debate over the partial revocation of AFSPA and Disturbed Areas Act began last month when Abdullah announced that the Acts will be revoked from parts of the state within few days.
