*Hurriyat very subjective on talks * No alliance with NDA in future
Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Dec 21: Pushing for partial withdrawal of controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today discounted suggestions that this will benefit terrorists, saying it is time to believe in the State police and paramilitary forces.
Omar promised to restore sense of security in Kashmiri Pandits, who had migrated from the Kashmir Valley two decades ago, and asked the community to explore possibility of returning to the State. He welcomed the announcement of Tata group chairman Rattan Tata of campus recruitment and fostering entrepreneurship skills among the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Chief Minister took a dig at moderate Hurriyat Conference for holding talks with Pakistan and not coming to New Delhi for dialogue with the Government of India. He, however, said that Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik’s visit and his remarks on Babri Masjid issue have not contributed to the procession of normalization of relations between India and Pakistan.
Omar ruled out any future alliance with NDA saying NC’s previous association with it was only due to his party’s relationship with former Prime Minister and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
“First and foremost I never advocated lifting it from areas close to the Line of Control or so. I have suggested that it could be lifted from areas like Srinagar and Jammu cities,” Omar said while interacting with media persons here at a programme hosted by the Press Club of India.
He was asked about apprehensions that the areas, where the Armed Forces Special Powers Act will be withdrawn, would become a safe haven for terrorists.
“On the one hand you say that you have faith in State police and CRPF and in the same breath you say that AFSPA should remain,” he contended.
The Chief Minister said the situation in the State had improved over the last 10 years and the level of violence had come down to five per cent of what it was in 2002.
“I believe the CRPF and JK police have acquired the ability to deal with the situation in areas where we could dispense with any sort of Army involvement and these are the sort of areas from where we are asking for removal of AFSPA.”
“So if you don’t need to operate, therefore, the need for AFSPA should also no longer exist as well,” he said.
On why there has been no progress on the AFSPA issue, he said, “We have not been successful but this does not mean that we should not try. We are trying and I know for sure that something positive will emerge.”
Omar said it was unfortunate that his Government was closely scrutinised on AFSPA. “I am trying and doing my best. I wonder why you people (media) don’t talk about the failures of my predecessor about self-rule, dual currency and demilitarisation or for that matter the so-called independence slogan of separatists.
“Judge me when you question everyone. At least I am not building castles in the air like others have done. I am doing something and promising something which is possible,” he said.
Asked about unmarked graves issue, Omar said that his Government’s stand was absolutely clear that those talking about disappearances should come with a DNA sample to a nodal officer posted in state Human Rights Commission.
“Should a kith and kin of someone believes that one of their people is buried in those unmarked graves they should supply us with DNA sample and we would again do DNA profile of the missing people with the unmarked graves.
“We gave an open offer for this. But unfortunately no one has yet come forward to take up our claim on this,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that J&K required a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which should be allowed to probe in the state as well as in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.
“…Because there are far too many questions which require answers and those won’t be available in the Valley only. Take for example the instance of disappearances. How could you make an example or assumptions that all those people, who have disappeared have been killed by the security forces.
“What about the people killed by the militants? What about those who went across (PoK) and died while trying to come back or infiltrate? What about those who went to training camps?” he asked.
Omar said certain questions need to be answered. “What happens to youngsters who go to the training camps?
Asked about his party-National Conference — not honouring its promise of autonomy in 1996 and now about repealing of AFSPA, Omar said, “just because something is difficult to achieve, should we stop talking about it.
“I don’t see you ask this questions to the Mirwaiz or others who promises azaadi and doesn’t deliver. Why don’t you judge them by the same standards.
“It is my responsibility to the people to restore autonomy in the State and phase-wise removal of AFSPA and they are possible. They are not impossible. They are far more easy to achieve than dual currency or complete demilitarisation. We will continue to try for that,” he said.
Promising to restore sense of security in Kashmiri Pandits who left the Valley two decades ago, Omar asked the community to explore possibility of returning to the State.
“If words were enough to bring the Kashmiri Pandits back to the Valley, then we would have used those words. But I think in the case of the Kashmiri Pandits returning home, words are not sufficient.
“It is the action that will speak. And the action will speak much louder than the words. The Kashmiri Pandits did not leave because of something they heard, they left because of something they faced. Their sense of security was snatched away from them. Their livelihoods were snatched away. Unless that sense of security is restored in them words are meaningless,” Omar said.
He said no matter how much one speaks about it, those words should be followed by actions and those actions must result in Kashmiri Pandits feeling a sense of security to come back.
“Speeches in Parliament or Assembly really do not cut it. Having said so, I do not feel that there has ever been a time as conducive as now for the Kashmiri Pandits to begin to explore the possibility of coming back,” the Chief Minister said.
A sudden spurt in militants violence had resulted in the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the State in 1990.
Omar said there has not been any targeted attack on the community in spite of militancy and difficult summers of 2008, 2009 and 2010, which saw incidents of violence over Amarnath land issue and stone pelting across the Valley.
“I can’t remember the last targeted attack against Kashmiri Pandit community in spite of difficult summer in 2008, 2009 and 2010. In spite of the fact that we are dealing with militancy, there has not been any targeted attack against the Kashmiri Pandits community,” he said.
As a good will gesture, the Chief Minister said the State has taken back a large number of Kashmiri Pandits – both men and women – in Government jobs that were reserved for them. “We hope over the time more people will examine the possibility and come back,” Omar said.
Asked about measures being taken to check corruption in the State, the Chief Minister said Government was granting sanction “immediately” to prosecute a corrupt person.
“Wherever applications for permission to prosecute is received, permission is granted immediately. A number of other steps have been taken in terms of legislative safeguards. The vigilance commission will come into effect now as the Governor has cleared the appointment.
“You have a Public Service Guarantee Act which is directed at reduction of corruption at the operative level. You have the revival of the Panchyati elections designed particularly to check corruption in rural areas,” he said.
Omar said the Government does not talk about measures to check corruption rather it takes action against all instances of corruption.
“We have people who have raised jihad, battle against corruption … We will take necessary harsh steps to ensure that corruption is reduced and ultimately eliminated,” the Chief Minister added.
Omar welcomed the announcement of Tata group chairman Rattan Tata of campus recruitment and fostering entrepreneurship skills among the youth of the State.
Responding to a question on bringing India Inc to Kashmir at the invitation of Rahul Gandhi, he said the aim was to enable youth meet some top flag bearers of Corporate India.
“I think the first aim is to foster the relationship between the youth and some flag bearers of Corporate India and to see what possibilities are there,” he said.
“I think couple of steps have been taken, particularly on the part of Mr Rattan Tata. From what I understand, two things are in the pipeline. One to increase campus recruitment from the universities which is excellent thing and secondly they are looking at incubation center through our universities to foster skills of entrepreneurship and new ideas and to give youngsters more opportunities.
“These two things have come out of his visit. I think the other corporates who were present there are also looking at various options and possibilities,” he said.
Tata had announced two-pronged strategy to give opportunities to students and entrepreneurs in the Kashmir Valley which includes supporting setting up of venture capital units.
Tata, who had recently interacted with students of Kashmir University, had said that his group would like to follow the ‘American Venture Capitalist model’ and help the local entrepreneurs in setting up their own business.
Omar said that he had no illusions that India Inc will come and set up their manufacturing base in the State. “We are looking for those areas where we have constraints. Hotels is one…We are looking at value addition in food chain, agriculture, horticulture, floriculture and other allied services.
“Power generation is the one area through which economy in the State can be turned around,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that the biggest challenge for the state had been generate more employment.
“What we have tried to do with some success is to foster a sense of entrepreneurship in the youngsters in the State and that is beginning to show some results,” he said
Two other schemes we are implementing with the Government of India called Himayat and Udaan both are for skill development, training and possible placement and other than that the focus is on improving basic education infrastructure.
Omar took a dig at moderate Hurriyat Conference for holding talks with Pakistan and not coming to Delhi for discussions with the central leadership.
“They (Hurriyat) are very subjective to who they talk to while they do not have any hesitation to board a plane to Islamabad and talk to leadership there.
“The same people are averse to boarding a plane and coming to Delhi and talking to leadership here. They will only be really meaningfully achieve something if they talk to both the sides. Otherwise it is not going to work,” he said.
“That having been said talking is not bad thing. It also shows that Government of India is not unnecessarily vindictive. Government just could have been easier taken a line – that if you don’t talk to us, we would not let you talk to other side as well, which they did not do.”
He said the time has come when Hurriyat Conference need to meaningfully engage with the Government and see how the dialogue process can be taken forward.
Omar said that there would be people like Syed Ali Shah Geelani who won’t talk.
“There would be those who don’t talk and Geelani is at the forefront of that. He has not gone to Pakistan and so he is not talking to anybody there and he is not talking to anyone here,” he said.
“But those who are willing to talk to one side should be encouraged to talk to other side as well,” he added.
A delegation led by Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is at present in Pakistan holding talks with leaders there including President Asif Zardari and others.
On a question about former militants getting important Government jobs, Omar said that in some of the cases there have been such instances where appointment letters have been issued pending police verification.
But having said that there is a need for rehabilitation of former militants some way or the other, he said and pointed out cases where such former militants were roped in back to militancy after they failed to earn their livelihood.
In the case of gunning down of two panchs and attack on a hotel in the outskirts of the city, investigations show that former militants were involved in both the incidents, he said.
“You have a responsibility towards rehabilitating former militants. Because of you do not do it they might become major problem for us,” he added.
On the issue of corruption, he said many steps have been taken to curb corruption, which include immediate grant of sanction to prosecute such people.
The Central Vigilance Commission will come into effect soon, he said and added that “we will take necessary harsh steps to ensure that corruption is reduced and ultimately eliminated.”
Asked about the Leader of Opposition Mehbooba Mufti’s claim that the corruption had increased in the State , Omar said very humbly “mein unki kisi baat ka jawab nahi deta, log dete hain. Abhi MLC elections mein bhi diya tha aagey bhi denge (I don’t reply her accusations but people do and recent MLC elections, people have answered).”
Recently, ruling National Conference-Congress alliance swept the MLC polls by winning all the four seats.
Omar ruled out possibility of an alliance between National Conference and NDA, saying their previous association was only due to his party’s relationship with former Prime Minister and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
“The National Conference and the NDA were unnatural allies…Therefore I do not see a possibility of the NC returning to the NDA fold. The relationship between NC and NDA was (due to) the relationship between the NC and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He was a sort of leader that brought people together,” Omar said.
He said it was not a relationship between the NC and the BJP.
“It was a relationship between NC and the NDA, the NDA headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. No matter how carefully I look, I don’t see anybody in the NDA, particularly in the BJP who is even close to the credentials of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. And unless such a leader is thrown up by the NDA, the possibility of the NC returning (to the alliance) does not exist,” he said.
The National Conference was a part of Vajpayee led-NDA Government, which was in power from 1998 to 2004. However, the Kashmir-based party had later snapped ties with the BJP-led alliance.
To a question on supporting NDA if it is headed by Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, Omar refused to respond saying it was a “hypothetical situation”.
Omar said Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik’s visit and his remarks on Babri issue have not contributed to the process of normalisation of relations between India and Pakistan.
“Clearly, he has not helped cement any sort of friendship between India and Pakistan. If anything, his ill-advised statements have harmed the process of normalisation of relations between our two countries,” he said.
“Now whether this is just a case of foot in mouth disease or whether he came with a natural script that he read out here (on Babri issue) that I don’t know. That only he would know. But, obviously visits like that, the fewer we have, the better it would be for both our countries.” he said.
“I think the relations between our two countries are far too delicate for us to have off the cuff reactions and statements like this which are designed more to appeal one domestic constituency than actually do any thing to further international relations between the two countries,” Omar added.
To a question on mercy plea of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, he said there has been no discussion between the Centre and State Government.
“Needless to say that earlier, whatever thoughts the State Government had on this subject have been conveyed to the Government of India. We would not like to speculate whether he would be hanged or not.
“Our assessment of the situation would be known to the Government of India as and when a decision in this regard is taken by the Centre,” he said when asked about possible ramifications on law-and-order situation in J-K after rejection of guru’s mercy petition pending with President Pranab Mukherjee.
Guru, a native of Sopore in Jammu and Kashmir, was given death sentence for his involvement in 2001 Parliament attack case in which nine people were killed and 16 injured.
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