Special powers

Feb.23, 2007

PDP's demand for special Cabinet meeting turned down
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 22
The ruling Congress has rejected the demand of its coalition partner-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for a special meeting of the Cabinet to discuss the issue of pullout of armed forces from Kashmir and repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

Rejection of the demand reportedly came after a meeting of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and PCC chief Peerzada Sayeed with the Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other central leaders at Delhi on Tuesday.

Health Minister Mangat Ram Sharma, who was also present reportedly at these meetings, said today the Congress was not in a position to oblige patron of the PDP Mufti Sayeed on the issue.

Mr Sharma said the Congress was a national party and had to keep several aspects in mind.

He said the Mufti might be invited to Delhi by the Congress high command or some senior ministers to discuss the issue. However, there was no question of convening a special meeting of the cabinet here.

Mr Muzaffar Hussain Beig, former deputy chief minister and architect of the PDP's self-rule proposal, said the issue would be settled in next few days otherwise the media would get some big news. He refused to reply questions whether the PDP would go to the extent of pulling out of the coalition.

Mr Sharma and Mr Beig were busy discussing the issue in the Assembly this afternoon while nominations for the legislative council seats were being filed.

Agriculture minister and leader of the PDP legislature group A.A. Zargar on February 17 written to the Chief Minister seeking a special meeting of the Cabinet to discuss the two issues. Earlier, he tried to raise the issue at the Cabinet meeting on February 15.

Mufti Sayeed, his daughter Mehbooba Mufti, PDP ministers and legislators have already surrendered their personal security on the plea that the security scenario in the state had changed and the time had come for gradual pullout of troops and repeal of the special powers Act.

Mr Beig yesterday explained the PDP was asking for the reduction of troops in a measured, responsive and responsible manner from the state. If this could be done in Punjab, why not in Jammu and Kashmir?

He said the Chief Minister should, in the right spirit of coalition, convene a special meeting of the state cabinet to discuss demands of the PDP.

Meanwhile, there were reports of Mr Pranab Mukherjee, foreign affairs minister, having talked to Mr Mufti on telephone on the issue. However, reaction of the letter was not known.

It is worth mentioning that the PDP had raised the demand following fake encounters in which innocent persons were killed recently in the valley.