Aam Aadmi Party today 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.
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 yesterday said that deployment of military in Jammu and Kashmir should be undertaken with the consent of people of the state.
The remarks were flayed by parties like BJP and Congress. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also said there was no need for a referendum on such issues.
