SRINAGAR: A clear divide was witnessed in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today when opposition members from Jammu were in favour of continuation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), while members from the Kashmir valley demanded revocation or amendment in the Act.
“We will send a wrong signal which will encourage militants if any amendment is made in the Act,” the Jammu members from opposition National Panthers Party (NPP) and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) said.
However, members from the ruling and opposition in Kashmir valley said the Samba and Kathua attacks on police and Army took place when AFSPA Act was there.
Though the House took up the obituary references on the opening day, the discussion turned political as members raised the issue of killings at Samba, Kathua, Gool, Kishtwar, Shopian and Markandal.
Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Saifullah said as per practice, the members should not raise any other issue and speak on obituary references only.
However, Speaker Mubarak Gul said he widened the scope of discussion after referring to other killings which took place in the state since the last session.
Initiating the discussion in the House, Leader of the Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti referred to killings of Army and police personnel at Samba and Kathua, civilian deaths at Shopian, Gool, Kishtwar and other places.
She also referred to killings of 2010 and protests after the hanging of Parliament convict Afzal Guru in March this year.
People in the state, particularly in the Kashmir valley, feel orphans as there is nobody to listen to their grievances, she added.
