Apr 4, 2007
Demand for troops reduction
Mufti in line of fire
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service
Jammu, April 3
The Centre's decision to set up three committees for examining the demand of reduction of troops in Jammu and Kashmir has created political as well as regional polarisation in the state with Mufti Mohammed Sayeed being targeted by almost all partners of the ruling coalition and the Opposition.
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and his other coalition partners have come out with strongly worded statements against the demand for pullout of troops.The PDF and the CPM have criticised the Centre for trying to "befool" the people of Kashmir.
However, the Kashmir-based parties in the coalition have in a guarded language not come out openly against reduction of troops, but their statements expose the level of their anger against the Mufti who has "stolen" the show by taking lead in raising the demand.
The Jammu-based parties were gunning for the Mufti for seeking the pullout of troops that were deployed to protect lives of innocent people. Residents of villages around Thriat, where five labourers were killed by terrorists, chanted slogans not against Azad but against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mufti and Pakistan when the Chief Minister visited there on Saturday.
The politics of demilitarisation has puzzled the common man as Azad continues to stick to his guns by announcing that there was no question of pullout of troops from the state and more armed forces would be inducted in case terrorist strikes like the one in Thriat reoccurred.
On the other hand, the coalition partners of the Congress-led government were rallying around Azad by criticising the Mufti, who made the Centre to set up the three panels, including one headed by defence minister A.K.Antony. They have described the exercise just an "eye wash" to enable the Mufti show his face to the people in Kashmir.
But there was jubilation in the PDP camp over the "victory" of the Mufti. The political affairs committee (PAC) of the PDP in its meeting at Srinagar on Saturday appreciated the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh for taking a "very sensitive, impassionate, understanding and enlightened view of the prevailing situation in the state".
The sincerity of the purpose shown by the Central leadership by establishing a mechanism that will hopefully further improve the ground realities, inspire peoples' confidence in the political processes and institutions and pave the way for a just and dignified resolution of the Kashmir issue, the PAC added.
The PDP leadership has clarified that it never demanded the complete withdrawal of troops, but was seeking their measured and responsible reduction and repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
Transport minister and chairman of the PDF, Hakeem Yaseen, described the Centre's decision as "eye-wash" and declared this yet another "humiliation and joke with people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly people of Kashmir who are being taken for granted and befooled in the garb of committees which are actually escape routes".
Hakeem said the committees constituted on the demand of the PDP would be headed by the defence minister, who has already revealed his mind that not a single soldier will be withdrawn from the state.
He claimed that the PDF was pioneer of demilitarisation slogan but "we will project this at appropriate time and not surrender after making behind curtain deals. By stealing the slogan, PDP has created difficulties for pro-people parties."
He demanded convening of the 3rd Round Table Conference (RTC)to expose opportunists and also provide equal ground to all political parties, including separatists to put forth their viewpoint.
Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, state secretary of CPM which is supporting the Azad government, has described the Centre's decision as "rigmarole and eyewash". The Central government, once again, seems to have skirted the real issue in Kashmir, which is evident from its response to the demand for reduction of forces in the state.
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