The Jammu and Kashmir chief minister is torn between managing strife at home and politics at the Centre
The Jammu and Kashmir chief minister is torn between managing strife at home and politics at the CentreThe woes of Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah are here to stay, atleast for some more days. In order to get a 'peace package' from Union for his terror-torn state including dilution of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Omar was camping in national Capital from the last four days to convince senior leaders in Delhi.
Even his attempt to convince Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi and Home Minister P Chidambaram, on Monday, ahead of the crucial meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), which discussed the Kashmir situation, couldn't work for him. He reportedly apprised the two leaders of "his reasons" for lifting the AFSPA from four districts of his state or amending the Act.
"Omar's long stay at Delhi, despite a sudden flare-up in violence in Kashmir, went against him. The death of 16 people in police firing on Monday contradicted his aggressive batting against the AFSPA," said a Congress leader.u00a0
As per the speculation, the CCS meeting to review the Kashmir imbroglio and to consider the dilution of AFSPA ended without any remarkable outcome. In fact, an official statement issued after the three-hour long meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, made no mention to the AFSPA. The CCS decided to convene an all-party meeting on Wednesday to discuss the possible way out in the volatile Kashmir Valley.
Before the all party meet on Wednesday, the Congress is to meet on Tuesday to discuss the CCS meeting.
Expressing its distress over the 'turn of events' in the valley since Saturday, the CCS appealed to the people of Kashmir, especially the youth, to refrain from violent protests as it expressed grief over the loss of lives in the three-month-long unrest. "The UPA government has always held the belief that dialogue and discussion is the only way forward to find an honourable and lasting solution," a statement issued after the meeting said.
The CCS, which met for the third time since the violence erupted in the Valley on 11th June, expressed its readiness to hold talks with all sections. "The dialogue can address issues such as the trust deficit and the governance deficit," it said.
According to sources, it would be very difficult for the Centre to accept the AFSPA related demand of Omar Abdullah for various reasons. Omar has come under severe criticism for the way he has handled the ongoing crisis that has been going on since June.
It is being seen in Delhi that young Abdullah has been trying to divert attention from his shortcomings and inefficiency by raising the AFSPA demand. "Central government is of the view that the unrest in Kashmir has nothing to do with the AFSPA and troubles in Kashmir are mainly related to governance by the state government," said a source.
Change of guardOn the issue of change of guard in the wake of the volatile situation in the Valley, Congress is maintaining a stoic silence calling it an internal issue of the National Conference. "It is up to the NC to decide whom to elect as chief minister and they have chosen Omar," Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said. Some of senior Congress leaders view Omar's inefficiency to handle the situation in the state, a senior Congress leader, on condition of anonymity, said that options before the government are limited as far a change of guard in the state is concerned.
