Aam Aadmi Party on Monday distanced itself from the views of its senior leader Prashant Bhushan that a referendum should be carried out in Kashmir to decide on deployment of the army to deal with security threats in the Valley.

 Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said decisions on internal security are taken based on the law and order situation and there cannot have referendum on deployment of the army in Kashmir.

“Deployment of the army within the country should be decided on the basis of internal security threat. There is no question of a referrundum on this. But we believe the sentiments of locals should be respected. Otherwise democracy will be under threat,” he told reporters when asked about Bhushan’s comments on the issue.

He said, “AAP does not support referendum on such issues.”

Bhushan had said a referendum should be carried out in Kashmir to decide on deployment of the army to deal with internal security threats in the Valley.

He had also batted for lifting of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in J-K, saying it gave the army immunity in cases of human rights violation while causing alienation among the people.

“It is very important for us to win the hearts and minds of the people and prevent alienation. For that, the first thing which needs to be done is to remove AFSPA, which gives the army immunity in (cases of) human rights violations,” Bhushan had told a TV channel.

The army’s deployment for internal security purposes should be effected only with the consent of the people, except in cases where the rights of minorities need to be protected, he had said.

In 2011, Bhushan had triggered a controversy by supporting the idea of holding a plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir.

Jaitley hits out at AAP over Bhushan’s remarks on Kashmir

Meanwhile, strongly opposing AAP leader Prashant Bhushan’s suggestion on deployment of armed forces in Kashmir with the consent of people, BJP hit out at his party for taking a “weak” stand on national security issues and said these cannot be decided by populism or referendum.

Stating that it was “regrettable” that a party with national ambitions was adopting a position similar to that of Pakistan and the separatists that was hostile to India’s interests, Arun Jaitley hoped that sensible elements in AAP will seek to reverse this “soft” stand, otherwise “the slope downwards will be faster than the movement upwards”.

“The issues of national security cannot be decided by populism or referendum. They can only be decided on security considerations. Till such time the infrastructure of terror remains, the presence of the army in Jammu & Kashmir is essential,” the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said.

Lashing out at the Aam Aadmi Party, he said, “It is Pakistan which has been suggesting the de-militarisation of the Valley. Some separatist groups have been echoing that demand. It is regrettable that for a party like the Aam Aadmi Party which nourishes national ambitions, should adopt a position hostile to India’s interests,” Jaitley said.