All stakeholders should be consulted on AFSPA withdrawal: Congress

NEW DELHI: Congress today said the issue of withdrawing AFSPA from certain areas of Jammu and Kashmir is complex one and a decision on it should only be taken after consulting all stakeholders, including the army.

"This is a complex issue which has to be decided in consultation with all stakeholders and certainly that includes the Army, central government, the ruling coalition and the state government and others," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters here.

He said Congress endorses the view of JK AICC in-charge Mohan Prakash, who had yesterday said there was a "need for better coordination" between the two ruling coalition partners ( NC and Congress) in the state.

"The view expressed by the AICC in-charge for the state is that of the Congress," he stressed.

Singhvi comments came a day after the ruling coalition partners in JK sparred over Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's move to revoke AFSPA in some areas with the state Congress chief Saif-ud-din Soz alleging he is not consulting all stakeholders, including the Army, on the issue.

In response to Soz's charge, Omar had said he was well aware of his "responsibilities", asserting that he would not have made the move in "isolation".