Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 3: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad today categorically opposed the demand for revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir saying the situation was not conducive for the withdrawal in view of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in 2014.
Meanwhile, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr Farooq Abdullah today refuted reports about his remarks over people of Kashmir allegedly dubbing them as ‘Maha Chor’.
Speaking to reporters after inauguration of Super Specialty Hospital at Resham Ghar Colony this afternoon, Mr Azad said he was not in favour of revocation of AFSPA at this stage.
“Elections are round the corner and terrorists will step up their activities. So, It was not appropriate to think of AFSPA revocation at this stage,” he added.
The Union Minister, who had served as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir from November 2005 to July 2008, said the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections were due to 2014 and the militants would try to take advantage of the situation as Pakistan was still aiding and abetting terrorism.
Mr Azad said Pakistan hasn’t stopped its efforts to stop fomenting trouble in Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is unfortunate that during BJP time Maulana Masood Azhar (the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed outfit) was released during the BJP led Government of NDA. And today he is again issuing threats to India from Pakistan. What is more unfortunate is that Pakistan continues to aid and abet terror,” the Union Minister said.
Dr Abdullah also echoed Mr Azad’s views on the release of Maulana Masood Azhar saying he had also opposed the release. Dr Abdullah was Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir when Azhar was released from Kot Bhalwal jail along with two other militants and taken to Kandahar, Afghanistan in lieu of passengers of hijacked plane.
Mr Azad’s views on AFSPA were, however, completely different from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who had during his reply to the debate on grants of his Ministries in the Assembly, stated that partial revocation of AFSPA would start during his tenure. Worthwhile to mention here that Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are due on October-November this year.
Meanwhile, Mr Azad asked the Jammu and Kashmir Government to raise the retirement age of doctors so that the health sector did not suffer for want of adequate staff.
Mr Azad said this after inaugurating a 220-bed Super Specialty Hospital besides launching Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakaram (RBSK), Project Swasthya Slate and 102-J&K Referral Service under National Rural Health Mission here.
“Already, there is shortage of the doctors. Many doctors have retired and some others would be retiring in near future. If the State Government didn’t increase retirement age of the doctors, the day is not far when Medical Colleges of the State would become `bhoot bungalows’. The Government had to take immediate steps to increase the age of retiring doctors,” Mr Azad said.
He added that when he mooted the proposal for increase in retirement age of the doctors, he was anticipating resistance to the proposal from the Left ruled States. “While the Left States welcomed the proposal, it was the Jammu and Kashmir Government, which didn’t respond,” he regretted.
“While the Medical Institutes and Colleges across the country have significantly increased retirement age of doctors, the State Government was following the policy of 58 years,” he said, adding that country wide age of Medical faculty has been raised to 70.
Mr Azad said the State Government has not benefitted from various Centrally Sponsored Schemes in the health sector due to delay in formulation of plans.
Regarding 102 referral service, he asked the State Health Minister to bring the remaining sanctioned 200 ambulances at the earliest.
Mr Azad said Jammu and Kashmir was the first State to get the Project Swasthya Slate to cover most difficult areas.
Spelling out achievements of the Centre and State Governments, he said: “we have not only given new dimensions to health sector but all the development fields have witnessed a discernible change during the past 4 to 5 years.”
Mr Azad said one more Medical College has been sanctioned for Rajouri, thus raising the total number of newly sanctioned medical colleges to five including Kathua, Doda, Anantnag and Kupwara.
He said the Government has given nod to establish 75 cancer institutions in the country compared to only one such centre in the last 65 years.
He said the UPA Government extended massive financial and moral support to all the States without any political, social or religious consideration.
Speaking on the occasion, Abdullah extended gratitude to the Centre for giving special consideration to development of J&K in view of its tough terrain and hoped it will continue to do so in future also.
He also thanked Azad for transforming the healthcare profile of the State.
Meanwhile, refuting reports about his remark over people of Kashmir, whom he allegedly dubbed as ‘Maha Chor’, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy and National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah today said he was misquoted by the media.
“I had never said that Kashmiris are Maha Chor (big thieves),” the Union Minister today told reporters here.
“There is lot of pilferage of power. Many of our people are stealing electricity. But I never said anything like that Kashmiris are thieves,” he said.
He said, “It (pilferage of electricity) happens all over the country. Biggest transmission and distribution losses are in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Expressing dismay over the media reports, Farooq said, “I am sad that I was misquoted by the media.”
The Union Minister said, “I had said that it is unfortunate that we buy power for nearly 2-3 thousand crores, but we are not able to get that money back because there is a lot of pilferage of power. Many of our people are stealing power.”
Farooq said, “two days ago while speaking on power situation, I had spoken about power pilferage, but I didn’t say anything like ‘We Kashmiris are Maha Chor’. Of course, the biggest power operations loss is in Jammu and Kashmir. I have been saying this all the time.”
He alleged that since the elections were near, “a newspaper tried to create misunderstanding in the minds of the people by publishing this”.
On PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti’s demand for apology, he said, it was Mufti who should apologise for spreading lies.
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