Omar again rakes up AFSPA revocation

With Assembly elections round the corner, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Friday again raked up AFSPA revocation issue saying he would continue to work in this direction till those are bringing up hurdles understand the importance of its gradual revocation.

“I advocated revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) time and again as there has been 80 per cent decrease in the militancy related incidents during the last five and a half years,” Omar said while addressing main Independence Day function at Bakshi Stadium here.

“(But) I am being criticised as to why I repeatedly stress on gradual revocation of AFSPA when it is not being agreed to. You should know moon was not conquered in one attempt and Everest not dominated in one go,” the Chief Minister said.

He added failure should not stop him from trying as “we might fail once and twice but when we keep trying, we will succeed.”

Castigating separatists for calling election boycott, the Chief Minister said, “I ask them  what has changed by your this philosophy for last 25 years.”

“People in Jammu and in Ladakh exercise their power of vote with full capacity. What people of Kashmir have achieved by not exercising the right of vote in great numbers,” he said.

The Chief Minister said wrong impression was being circulated through media that large number of people are in prisons.

He rejected the impression and said that not more than 100 persons are in prisons at present.

“You can visit the prisons in the State along with camera person and ascertain the fact,” he asserted.

Omar also announced two sops for the people: reduction in electricity duty from 22 per cent to 10 per cent and five percent reservation for Pahari speaking people.