CCS no to AFSPA withdrawal

20 dead in violence even as govt calls all-party meet

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) today ruled out any withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act from parts of Jammu and Kashmir, even as another flare-up in the valley claimed nearly 20 lives.

The three-hour meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, called an all-party meeting on Wednesday to discuss steps for restoring normalcy in the state.

The government indicated it was ready to sit with the separatists to stop the ongoing violence. “The UPA government has always held the belief that dialogue and discussion are the only way forward to find an honourable and lasting solution. The CCS reiterates the government’s intention to restart the process of dialogue with different sections of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” a statement after the CCS said.

The Centre acknowledged that there was a governance and trust deficit in Kashmir.

Differences between Home Minister P Chidambaram and Defence Minister A K Antony — both attended the meeting —persisted on the issue of AFSPA. However, the government conceded this discussion was also somewhat irrelevant: many places, including Ganderbal and some areas in Jammu, where the controversial Act is in place have no Army presence. Instead, what is in operation is the Jammu and Kashmir Disturbed Areas Act, which gives police and paramilitary the same powers as the Army to kill, search and destroy. The agency to decide on the withdrawal of this Act is the state government.

Simultaneously, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah held a meeting of his Cabinet to find a way to control the current state of affairs. Before the meeting, Abdullah had also met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Home Minister P Chidambaram in Delhi.

Top sources in the government told Business Standard that the government has decided not to force Omar Abdullah to resign.