Not willing to debate with army chief over AFSPA: Omar Abdullah

Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah today said he had no interest in getting into a debate with the army chief over the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, affirming the defence forces were subservient to the political set up.

"I have no interest in getting into a discussion with the army chief. He does his job and I do mine," Omar said reacting to General VK Singh's comments on the demand for dilution of AFSPA.

The chief minister said India is a democratic country where the defence forces follow the decisions taken by the political leadership.

"When the political set up decides to do something on AFSPA, the Army has to follow it," he said.

Gen Singh, in an interview to PTI, opined that the AFSPA is being used as a "beating stick" by the separatists in Jammu & Kashmir.

"We are unnecessarily playing into the hands of separatists for whom this is a beating stick," Gen Singh had said.