Ahead of a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security on Monday, Defence Minister A K Antony has maintained that there were no differences in the CCS on the AFSPA in J&K, but admitted “there may be various points of view”.

“There are no serious differences in the cabinet. (It is the) same government. When we discuss certain things there may be various points of view. Ultimately, the Government’s decision is final,” Antony told reporters on the sidelines of a function at Santhigiri Ashram near Thiruvanathapuram on Sunday.

He was asked to comment on reported differences between the Home and Defence ministries on AFSPA in Kashmir.

Antony’s statement assumes significance in the wake of reported differences in the CCS over the partial withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in parts of the Kashmir Valley as part of the Centre’s package to break the current impasse in the state.

The Congress Core Group, which met on Friday in New Delhi, also discussed the AFSPA issue.

The Defence Minister described the reports about differences in cabinet as “imaginary”.

“Continuing tension in Kashmir is causing concern to all. The Cabinet Committee on Security will discuss the situation in Kashmir seriously,” he said.

When pressed for his comments on reports of serious differences, Antony said: “We don’t debate in public matters discussed in the CCS. The reports regarding differences in media over AFSPA are imaginary.”

“I am not for any public debate on this matter… anyway the CCS is going to discuss the matter tomorrow.”

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been pressing the Centre to withdraw the AFSPA from some areas of the state and announce some political initiatives.

Situation in Jammu and Kashmir causing anxiety: Antony

Defence Minister A K Antony has said “continuous tension” in Jammu and Kashmir was something that caused “anxiety”, which will be discussed by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Monday.

Denying that the Cabinet was divided over the question of partial withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Kashmir, Antony said this issue also would figure in Monday’s CCS meet.

“Continuous tension in Kashmir is causing concern to all. The Cabinet Committee on Security will discuss the situation in Kashmir seriously”, Antony told reporters on the sidelines of a function at Santhigiri Ashram near Thiruvanathapuram on Sunday.

When asked about reports of differences between the Defence and Home ministries over the AFSPA in Kashmir, he said “There is no serious differences in the cabinet. When the matter was discussed there were various points of view. The Government is one. When the Government takes a decision it is final”, he said.

“We don’t discuss in public the matters discussed in the CCS. The reports regarding differences in media over AFSPA were imaginative,” he said.

When reporters persisted with their query on the issue, he said “I am not for any public debate on this matter, adding, anyway the CCS is going to discuss the matter tomorrow.”