Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 27: In response to the charge of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that Congress, a coalition partner in the State Government was also a hurdle in partial revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Pradesh Congress (I) Committee president Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz today called upon Omar to convene a meeting of Unified Headquarters for taking Army and other security agencies into confidence for revocation of the Act from some parts of the State.
While interacting with the reporters on the side-lines of one day Mahila convention at MA Road party headquarters, Prof Soz said that situation is conducive for revoking the AFSPA from parts of the State.
“Security situation has improved, now it is the CM who has to make a movement forward for revocation of the AFSPA from certain areas. The CM can do it by convening a meeting of Unified Headquarters of which he is the head to take all stake holders into confidence and get the law repealed,” the JKPCC Chief said.
Soz said that he is against politic debate over the AFSPA. “All the stake holders, particularly Army and intelligence agencies should be taken into confidence, before making the things public,” he said.
The JKPCC Chief urged the Hurriyat Conference to come forward for a dialogue with Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh. “The need of the hour is that Hurriyat must get itself engaged into a dialogue process with Central Government to resolve all outstanding issues. The visit of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is a golden opportunity to separatists to hold dialogue with the central Government,” he suggested.
About Additional General Secretary of the NC, Dr Mustafa Kamaal’s Statement that Prime Minister is coming to Kashmir to kill time, Soz said that the Statement issued by the NC leader is foolish.
The JKPCC Chief said that other parties should not get irritated with his Statement that Congress party will emerge as a single largest political party in the forthcoming Assembly elections and will form the next Government of its own. “We have firm belief that we will form the next Government in the State. I think nobody should have any doubt in our claim, since Congress has emerged as strong political force in all the three regions of the State as we work for the betterment of the people,” he said.
Prof Soz asked Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take all necessarily steps to implement 73rd amendment of Indian Constitution in the State Panchayati Raj Act without any further delay. “Its implementation will also help to give 33 per cent reservation to the women in Assembly, Municipal and Local Bodies’ Elections. The representation of women in Assembly, Parliament and other public institutions is very less. We want that Chief Minister should take the necessarily steps without any further delay for its implementation,” he said.
Accusing the successive Governments of ignoring Srinagar city, Prof Soz said that people of the Srinagar city must come out for the vote to Congress party as a change. “The Srinagar city particularly old Srinagar has been ignored. We want vote from the people of the Srinagar for change,” he said.
National Congress Mahila President, Anita Verma while addressing gathering of women workers of the Congress said that she is extremely happy to see large number of women congress workers participating in the Mahila convention. “I will communicate all the problems of the local women Congress leaders and workers to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for their early redressal. The State should give 33 per cent to women in Assembly, Panchayat and in local bodies”, She said.
The others who spoke on the occasion include, State Women Mahila Congress president Indu Pawar, Vice President National Mahila Congress, Lalita Joshi, Vice president State Mahila Congress Shameema Raina and Senior Congress leader Khem Lata Wakhloo.
A large number of Mahila Congress workers were present in the convention. During the convention, almost all the district, block and provincial presidents also spoke on the occasion.
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