Leaders of the ruling National Conference-led government in Jammu and Kashmir have called for the withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from the Union Territory, following Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on the gradual rollback of the law in the Northeast.
The demand came after Shah said he was “fully confident that, except for one or two states, we will be able to completely remove AFSPA from the entire Northeast next year.”
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s Adviser, Nasir Aslam Wani, said if the Centre was considering the removal of AFSPA from the Northeast, Jammu and Kashmir should be given priority.
“If it has been decided that AFSPA will be removed from the Northeast, then it should be removed from Jammu and Kashmir first. As the Home Minister himself has said, and as the situation on the ground suggests, conditions here have improved considerably. Therefore, it would be better to begin with Jammu and Kashmir,” Wani said.
On Friday, Cabinet Minister Sakina Itoo also advocated the withdrawal of AFSPA from Jammu and Kashmir.
“If the government says the situation has improved, there is no stone-pelting and normalcy has returned, then AFSPA should also be removed from here. It should be withdrawn from Jammu and Kashmir first,” she said.
Speaking earlier this week, Shah said more than 80 per cent of the Northeast had already been brought out of the ambit of AFSPA.
“I am fully confident that, except for one or two states, we will be able to completely remove AFSPA from the entire Northeast next year,” he said.
