Army not our master, says Farooq Abdullah who was CM during 1989's turbulence
NEW DELHI: National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah, whose party is in favour of doing away with the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (Afspa) from parts of Jammu and Kashmir, said the Army was not the master of the people of the state and its job was to guard the border to contain terrorist infiltration.
Describing Afspa as a 'draconian law', he said local police and CRPF were capable enough to handle the security responsibilities from areas where the Act was likely to be lifted. He also made it clear that there was no proposal to withdraw Afspa from bordering belts or areas in the Valley where terrorists were still in large numbers.
"Army is not our master. Just remember that. People of Jammu and Kashmir are masters of the state. Army is not the master. Army is only to protect. They will continue to protect the interest of nation," the National Conference leader said in an interview to a television news channel. Questioning the role of the Army in the state, he asked how terrorists managed to enter the state if the Army was successful in dealing with the situation. "What do they handle? If they are able to handle, how the hell do these terrorists come?" he said when asked if the political leadership of the state was better equipped to tackle the situation.
However, to a question whether he was hinting at infiltrations being the result of the Army's failure, he said, "its not the question of Army. It's the failure of entire system. It's intelligence failure. We have intelligence. We have internal intelligence, we have external intelligence. There must be a failure somewhere if they are coming in."
He said it was not a war between the Army and the Abdullahs and that issues like Afspa were of concern for all, the Army and civilians.
"There are certain things we have to do for the betterment of the people, for the feeling of the people... people of state feel that Afpsa should go," Abdullah, who is the renewable energy minister in the UPA government, said. To a question, he said "...I am not interested in Afpsa. Let me be very frank about it. I think the time has come when people should be trusted." Asked if he meant that the Army didn't trust Kashmiris, he said "I don't know whether you trust Kashmiris or not, that you should go and ask Army."
Describing Afspa as a 'draconian law', he said local police and CRPF were capable enough to handle the security responsibilities from areas where the Act was likely to be lifted. He also made it clear that there was no proposal to withdraw Afspa from bordering belts or areas in the Valley where terrorists were still in large numbers.
"Army is not our master. Just remember that. People of Jammu and Kashmir are masters of the state. Army is not the master. Army is only to protect. They will continue to protect the interest of nation," the National Conference leader said in an interview to a television news channel. Questioning the role of the Army in the state, he asked how terrorists managed to enter the state if the Army was successful in dealing with the situation. "What do they handle? If they are able to handle, how the hell do these terrorists come?" he said when asked if the political leadership of the state was better equipped to tackle the situation.
However, to a question whether he was hinting at infiltrations being the result of the Army's failure, he said, "its not the question of Army. It's the failure of entire system. It's intelligence failure. We have intelligence. We have internal intelligence, we have external intelligence. There must be a failure somewhere if they are coming in."
He said it was not a war between the Army and the Abdullahs and that issues like Afspa were of concern for all, the Army and civilians.
"There are certain things we have to do for the betterment of the people, for the feeling of the people... people of state feel that Afpsa should go," Abdullah, who is the renewable energy minister in the UPA government, said. To a question, he said "...I am not interested in Afpsa. Let me be very frank about it. I think the time has come when people should be trusted." Asked if he meant that the Army didn't trust Kashmiris, he said "I don't know whether you trust Kashmiris or not, that you should go and ask Army."
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