* Time for Centre to relook at AFSPA
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 22: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today announced that Army would no more use Tosa Maidan meadow in Budgam district as firing range and said that it would be development as tourist destination.
Addressing a function organized by Army on the closing ceremony of ‘Mission Falah’ which was started by Army to sanitize the firing range from explosive shells on August 1, this year, the Army said it has cleared entire 69 square kilometer in 83 days from explosive shells.
“Since a long time, the people of Tosa Maidan wanted to take over the area from Army,” Omar said. “As the situation started to normalize, lakhs of people thronged Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg and the people of Tosa Maidan also wanted to see their area as tourist spot as they thought this isn’t less beautiful then those places”, he said.
The Chief Minister while interacting with the media persons hoped that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will accept memo presented by the State Government to Centre for rehabilitating the flood-affected people and make an announcement in this regard on his Diwali visit tomorrow.
“We have submitted a package of about Rs 44,000 crores for some relief to the flood-affected people and we hope that if the PM is coming, and significantly coming on Diwali, we hope that this package is going to be accepted,” Omar told reporters at Tosa Maidan in Budgam on the side lines of a function.
He hoped that PM will accept the rehabilitation package. “The PM is coming on Diwali. I do not want to get into any sort of political debate on this issue by undermining this visit. The fact is that he is coming, he says he is coming to express solidarity with the flood-affected people of Jammu and Kashmir. As I said, I hope that his visit means that the package is going to be accepted and announced,” he said.
Omar said the relief of Rs 75,000, given by the State Government for fully damaged houses due to the floods is not the final one. “Rs 75,000 is not an absolute number. I have always said that Rs 75,000 is a starting point. Nobody has said that this will be be-all and end-all. Please understand that we have projected Rs 9 lakh to Government of India for fully damaged structures and not Rs 75,000. Rs 75,000 is only to help people in these few months. We will get more money from GOI. Don’t worry,” he said.
The Chief Minister earlier welcomed the clearance of Tosa Maidan firing range from unexploded explosives by the Army. He said that the demand of public in this regard has been fulfilled and the area could be developed as one of the choosiest tourist resort in the State. He said the focus will be concentrated on developing Tosa Maidan for tourism related activities to generate employment opportunities, trade and business in the area.
Army under “Mission Falah” completed the clearance of firing range comprising 69 square kilometers in Tosa Maidan area. The Army also conducted civic action by organizing medical and veterinary camps at Drang, Sutaharan, Khag, Hamchipora, Tosha Maidan and Chiuyadara villages.
Omar said regardless of the situation in Afghanistan or Pakistan, time was “opportune” to make headway on revocation of AFSPA and maintained that he was not compromising on national security by raising the matter.
“My point of view, and I will continue to maintain that point of view, is that every year we have a steady decline in militancy regardless of what happens with Afghanistan or Pakistan or anywhere else, I will continue to maintain that this is an opportune time (for the revocation of AFSPA from some parts of the state),” he said.
The Chief Minister said the issue of AFSPA was a matter of discussion and it did not compromise on national security.
“I am not compromising on anything. Raising an issue is not compromising on national security. I don’t think politics is national security. If you can poke a hole in my argument on logical and sound basis, please do so,” he said.
Omar said there were areas in the State where the Army does not participate in the anti-militancy operations now and time had come when the Centre needed to have a re-look at the issue of AFSPA.
“I am telling you that every year there has been a steady decline in militancy. There are areas in Jammu and Kashmir where the Army does not participate in the anti-militancy operations now. On that basis alone, I believe that there is a moment that has arrived where we need to start looking at this,” he said.
The Chief Minister said he understood that the Army and Ministry of Defence had “reservations” over the issue, but that would not stop him from talking about it.
“It is a matter for discussion and it should be a matter for discussion. Why can’t we discuss it. I understand the Army has reservations, the Ministry of Defence has reservations. We can agree to disagree but that doesn’t stop me from talking about this,” he said.
Omar said the Defence Ministry’s line on the issue was not new or different.
“I did not renew the pitch (for revocation of AFSPA). I have always maintained that and I will continue to maintain it. I know that the Defence Minister has taken a line but that is not a new line, it is not a different line. As I said, different reasons are found for maintaining the AFSPA, that is their point of view,” he said.
Chief Minister while addressing a gathering of Army officers and the civilian on the occasion said that the clearance of firing range from dangerous material in a stipulated timeframe is highly appreciable. He said people of the area wanted Tosa Maidan to be the attraction of tourists like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, and their this cherished desire would be fulfilled now.
Chief Minister handed over a cheque of Rs one lakh to the next of kin of Late Bilal Ahmad Parray, who lost his life in July this year, and distributed sewing machines to the women of nearby villages on behalf of Army.
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