Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday assured the state assembly that the recent report of the Amnesty International on human rights situation in the state would be given 'due consideration and suggestions made in the report viewed seriously.'
Omar commented on the report for the first time after it was released in Srinagar on Monday by the Amnesty International.
"The report will not be thrown to the dustbin. We will study it thoroughly and consider the suggestions incorporated in the report pertaining to the Public Safety Act and other issues", he said adding that 'time has come when PSA should be debated upon for its amendment or replacement by some other relatively better law.'
The chief minister also dispelled the perception being created regarding arrests in the Valley and said that 'during the last summer in 1,153 violence incidents some 4,000 persons had been arrested of which only 171 are presently in custody while rest have been released'.
"There are only 128 persons in custody under PSA at present", he added.
The Amnesty International in its report lambasted the government on detentions under PSA which the organisation described as a 'lawless law'.
Reiterating the importance of peace for revocation of the Disturbed Areas Act, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and other such laws, the chief minister said that 'the government had started working on these issues and on the issue of reducing footprints of security forces in the Valley, but disturbance of peace and law and order hampered our effort'.
"Some two battalions of the Central Reserve Police Force and armed forces have been withdrawn besides dismantling 39 bunkers", he added and said that, "Normalcy was imperative to address all issues and government would take every measure to restrict the re-start of any law and order situation in the Valley."
In a direct allusion to the separatists, Omar hoped that 'those who have not yet participated in the dialogue process would become its part soon to put forth their view points'.
"When you are openly talking about azadi, plebiscite and even joining Pakistan, why can't you tell the same to the Central interlocutors in the dialogue process?" he asked.
"The interlocutors have to incorporate everybody's view point in their report," he noted.
Pleading for a peaceful summer, he said, "Give me a peaceful summer and see the positive results on working out an amicable solution to the issues and economic development."
Omar underlined the need for 'working jointly to maintain peace and tranquility in the state ensuring peaceful and happy summer this year'.
"Don't create any fear psychosis among the tourists by creating perception about coming June. Let us work together cutting across the party lines for creating pleasant June 2011 and onwards to receive large number of visitors and make good the economic and education losses; we have suffered during last three summer seasons in the Valley," he said.
