Prashant Bhushan's remarks on J-K trigger row; AAP leader says comments were 'twisted'

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) disapproved of its leader Prashant Bhushan's comment on carrying out a referendum for deployment of Army in Jammu and Kashmir after it touched off a major controversy with various political parties slamming him for the remarks.

AAP Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said deployment of the army within the country should be based on internal security threat and there was no question of a refereundum on it.

"AAP does not support referendum on such issues," Kejriwal said.

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On his part, Bhushan sought to wriggle out by saying his comments were 'twisted' and any reference to referendum should not be misconstrued to mean plebiscite on Kashmir's relationship with India.

"The Aam Aadmi Party is of view that Kashmir is an integral part of India. Needless to say, I share this view," Bhushan said in a statement.

"Any reference to referendum should not misconstrue to mean plebiscite on Kashmir's relationship with India. It is the prerogative of the state to deploy security forces, including armed forces, for any stretch to internal and external security," the statement released by the party said.

The noted lawyer said although it was upon the government to deploy forces anywhere in the country, this should be done by taking people's view in consideration and this was his view of participatory governance and Swaraj.

Bhushan had on Sunday said that deployment of military in Jammu and Kashmir should be undertaken with the consent of people of the state. 

A controversy erupted over Bhushan's comments on deployment of army in Jammu and Kashmir which were slammed by parties across the political divide even as his party attempted to control damage.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also said there was no need for a referendum on such issues.

"Such ill-advised ideas must always be rejected outrightly. They can only disturb India's security environment and a disturbed environment disturbs politics, it disturbs sovereignity and it disturbs economy," BJP leader Arun Jaitley said.

Hitting out at AAP, he said it was 'regrettable' that a party with national ambitions was adopting a position similar to that of Pakistan and the separatists hostile to India's interests.

Asserting that issues of national security cannot be decided by populism or referendum, he hoped that sensible elements in AAP will seek to reverse this 'soft' stand, otherwise 'the slope downwards will be faster than the movement upwards'.

Congress leader Ambika Soni also hit out at Bhushan saying such issues have 'repercussions and fallouts which you can't imagine'.

She expressed surprise at the 'flippant manner' in which Bhushan voiced his views pertaining to the sensitive state.

Abdullah said, "Reduction of the footprint of security forces & phased revocation of AFSPA doesn't need a referendum, just a courageous statesman to decide. overnments get a mandate to govern & decide, they don't need to conduct a referendum before every tricky decision. Leaders must lead." 

Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha said that AAP should 'wake up to the reality that they are a political party' and 'no longer an NGO or commentators'.

He said AAP has 'pan-India ambitions' and its leaders should be careful in making statements.

"We are dealing with a very sensitive issue. When everyone agrees that the presence of army has been critical in controlling terrorism, I advise AAP that they should realise that they cannot be irresponsible and make such statements," he said.

BJP Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi attacked AAP saying this is its first national agenda with a "separatist mindset" and cautioned against "other things to come" from it.

He said referendum is the first step which will followed by demands for a separate Jammu and Kashmir. "The separatists are making such demands with a 'jihadi' mindset, but the same thing is being said with a 'gentle face' by AAP," he said.

Jaitley pointed out that Bhushan had two years ago suggested a plebiscite in Jammu & Kashmir where people must be free to decide whether they wish to stay with India or otherwise.

The BJP leader said after much difficulty the issue of plebiscite which was internationalised by Pakistan was linked to the territory wrongfully occupied by Pakistan and today it is no longer a part of either the international agenda, a United Nations process or even the Indo-Pak bilateral talks.

He said de-militarisation of the Valley can take place only after elimination of terrorism and dismantling of terrorist infrastructure. "The army presence till then is necessary to protect both the territory and the people of Jammu & Kashmir," he said.

The BJP leader said defence of India is a subject exclusively in the central government's domain, as it is neither a state subject nor a subject to be handled at the municipal level.