JAMMU, 5 March 2007 — Jammu and Kashmir’s ruling coalition partner People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is in a quandary following Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s categorical assertion that troops will not be pulled out of the border state for now, knocking down foundations of its hype on the issue.
PDP is faced with a piquant situation — to pull out of the government and deliver on its pledge that the issue was an “article of faith for it” or to stay in power to keep the party together.
There are fears that once out of power, the PDP may disintegrate. On the other hand, it has to consider replying to its opponents and people whom it had been telling that it was “serious” on the issue of military pullout.
“PDP doesn’t believe in gimmicks. We don’t play gimmicks,” PDP patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Saeed told reporters here Saturday. “It is an article of faith for us,” he said, referring to the demand for demilitarization.
However, late Saturday, the prime minister ruled out demilitarization in Jammu and Kashmir. “We will be happy to reduce troops if terrorism ceases as our army is not an army of occupation. They are there to protect the lives and liberties of law abiding people,” he told reporters in New Delhi.
Although Manmohan Singh made the assertion in the wake of All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s claim that India and Pakistan had agreed to go in for demilitarization from both sides of the Line of Control (LOC) in Jammu and Kashmir, the message was equally loud and clear for PDP.
Manmohan Singh dismissed as “speculative” Umar Farooq’s claim .
“These are all speculations,” the prime minister told reporters when asked to comment on Mirwaiz’s statement in Srinagar Thursday that the two countries have agreed to withdrawal of troops from either side of the Line of Control in Kashmir.
Manmohan Singh made it clear that security forces had been deployed only to protect citizens and the government would reduce their levels only after cessation of terrorism.
Saeed has held discussions with senior party leaders on the prime minister’s remarks though the party is yet to come out with a statement.
“That is indicative of the situation in which the party finds itself on the issue,” a Congress minister, who did not want to be identified, told IANS.
Saeed has exchanged notes with his daughter and party president Mehbooba Mufti, who is in New Delhi. She has been at the forefront of a campaign for reduction of troops and revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Jammu and Kashmir.
She has met the prime minister, Congress party President Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defense Minister A.K. Antony.
She has argued that troops cut and quashing of the special powers of security forces would energize the peace process and bring more confidence among the people.
The PDP chief was challenging Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad’s statement that the situation was not ripe for demilitarization or doing away with special powers given to security forces to fight separatists.
However, with the prime minister endorsing the chief minister’s stand, the PDP will have to rethink its strategy both on the issue of demilitarization and the abolition of the special powers.
