Omar sings Mufti tune on troop cut in JK

Srinagar, Jun 20: Virtually singing the tune of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on troop reduction issue, National Conference (NC) president Omar Abdullah has asked New Delhi to withdraw armed forces from areas with ''negligible'' militant presence in the strife-torn state.

Talking to journalists on the sidelines of a party function in Handwara area of Kupwara district, he said troops should be pulled back to 1989 position from areas where militancy has reduced.

The NC chief said he has been demanding demilitarisation ever since he returned from Pakistan after meeting President Pervez Musharraf. ''Our stand on demilitarisation is quite clear. We want troops to go back to barracks. However, the final decision has be taken by experts,'' he added.

Referring to the troop cut demand of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a key ruling coalition partner in the state, Mr Abdullah said demilitarisation was a sensitive issue, but unfortunately some people were trying to derive political mileage out of it.

''They are taking the people for a ride by resorting to mere rhetoric,'' he added.

Accusing Mr Sayeed of orchestrating troop build-up in Jammu and Kashmir when he was the Union Home Minister in 1990, the NC chief said these people were responsible for amassing of forces and the special powers enjoyed by soldiers in the state.

Referring to the internal bickering among the ruling coalition partners, Mr Abdullah said the alliance could collapse anytime, as cracks within it were quite visible. ''The state Law Minister (Tariq Hameed Karra) abstained from a dinner hosted by Chief Minister (Ghulam Nabi Azad) in honour of Chief Justice of India (K G Balakrishnan). This proves what kind of relations the ruling coalition partners share,'' he added.

Earlier, the NC president urged the gathering to ''teach a lesson'' to those who have taken the people of the state for a ride.

''Time is approaching.... Now it is your turn to give a befitting reply to those who failed to deliver after making tall promises.'' On the occasion, Mr Abdullah announced that senior NC leader Chaudhry Muhammad Ramzan would be the party candidate for the next Assembly elections from Handwara constituency. Chaudhry Ramzan had lost the 2002 Assembly elections from the constituency.

''Make your (NC) candidate successful and don't repeat the mistake which you had committed earlier,'' he told the gathering.

UNI

RelatedStories