SRINAGAR: A day after a senior Army official criticised the demand for troops reduction, the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Saturday said the critics were speaking out of turn.

At a public meeting in Sirigufwara in south Kashmir, Mr. Sayeed said the Army and paramilitary forces had played their part in the restoration of peace. This should be realised by all concerned, including those who still believed that the gun could force a resolution of the Kashmir problem.

"The Indian armed forces had distinguished themselves by their steadfast commitment to non-interference in the political affairs of the country and its democratic functioning. In order to strengthen the belief of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in democratic functioning and constitutional governance it is necessary that the same principle is followed here as well. Jammu and Kashmir cannot be an exception to the democratic functioning of the country."

In an apparent reference to General Officer Commanding of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps headquarters Lt. Gen. A.S. Sekhon's remark, he said the need for cutting down troops in a phased manner and scrapping the Armed Forces Special Powers Act had been recognised at the national level.

The Prime Minister's commitment was proof enough of the urgency of the matter. It was a matter of satisfaction that some areas had been vacated by the forces recently.

The People's Democratic Party would take its agenda of empowerment of the people of the State to its logical conclusion. The criticism only strengthened his resolve to revive civil society in the State and give full space to legitimate and people-friendly politics, Mr. Sayeed said.

The PDF demand for withdrawal of troops from internal security duties in the State was an essential component of the peace process and a necessary first step towards the ultimate resolution of the problem.

Those who opposed the demand were in fact acting against the aspirations of the masses. However, it was time for the gun-wielding youth as well to take note of the miseries of their own people, which only got compounded by hard stances.

Violence in the changed scenario only acted as a hurdle in the resolution of the problems, he said.

Mr. Sayeed said the people were now aware of their rights and were able to distinguish between the politics of deceit and straightforwardness. The PDP had introduced an element of genuine competition in and out of power and all political parties were now facing the heat of public scrutiny and accountability.

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