Islamabad (Anantnag), Apr 12: Member Parliament and senior National Conference leader Dr Mehboob Beg Thursday said that New Delhi by not considering the partial revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the state was justifying the stand of separatists and strengthening the hands of hardliners.
 “It is really a matter of concern that despite various security agencies in their reports clearly stating that the situation has improved a lot and graph of militancy drastically come down, the Home Ministry instead of taking some concrete steps to repeal the AFSPA is talking of amendments in the Act being under the consideration of Cabinet Committee for Security (CCS),” Beg said while speaking to media persons on the sidelines of a rally organized by the party at Nowgam in Shangus constituency of south Kashmir.
 Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, during his visit to Jammu on Tuesday, had said his Ministry was considering three amendments to be incorporated in the Act.
 Beg said that New Delhi is giving an impression that Kashmir is not on their priority and are further alienating Kashmiris and strengthening the hands of hardliners.
 “India is a largest democracy in the world and cannot rely on the extrajudicial laws and use them on their own people. Then they are certainly justifying separatists like Syed Ali Shah Geelani who have been saying that New Delhi was holding Kashmiris because of military might,” said Beg.
 Beg said that incorporating amendments in the AFSPA won’t serve any purpose and it was high time that the peace dividends should reach the common people and they should feel the change.
 “Unfortunately New Delhi only wakes up when the situation erupts, and when it returns to normalcy they forget everything. This approach is only going to keep the pot boiling,” said Beg.
 Beg appealed to all political parties to build consensus on some issues and speak in unison.
 “I appeal all political parties, separatist or mainstream, including PDP and NC to at least develop some consensus on certain issues like water resources, opening of routes, clemency to Afzal Guru and most importantly resolution of Kashmir issue and speak in one voice,” said Beg. “If the political parties from Punjab can be one while seeking clemency for Balwant Singh Rajaona why can’t our political parties get united while asking for same for Afzal Guru?”
 Lashing out at Bhartiya Janta Party for, what he called, adopting double standards, Beg said, “Two extreme positions taken over the cases of Muhammad Afzal Guru and Balwant Singh Rajoana, involved in the assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, has exposed the party. BJP supported the mercy petition filed for granting clemency to Rajoana while it is advocating hanging of Afzal Guru who is not directly involved in the Parliament attack case.”
 He warned that if Guru is hanged it could have serious political implications.
 Earlier addressing the rally, Beg said that at least Rs 1 crore of the relief money is yet to distributed among the victims of Khundru ammunition depot fire of 20007  and he will take up the issue with the government and make sure that the money reaches the needy.
 Regarding the land acquisition by the Army in Kashmir, Beg said that Army has been paying the same rent to the people whose land they have acquired even more than 60 years back.
 “I will take up the issue with the Defense Ministry and the state government regarding the issue. Not only should the rent be renewed but the people should get the compensation of previous years,” he said.
 Beg said that peace was imperative for development and prosperity. “The year 2011 was peaceful and the developmental activities got a fillip. So I hope that this year will be the same so that the incomplete projects would be accomplished and new ones taken up.”
 He later visited District Hospital Islamabad (Anantnag) and directed the administration to provide better medicare to patients and ensure quality medical supply.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST