Raju rules out amendment or recall of AFSPA

NEW DELHI: Union minister of state for defence MM Pallam Raju on Tuesday ruled out amendment or revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). The statement of the minister once again brought to the fore the resistance within the government over any move that would involve curtailing the powers of the armed forces for de-escalating tension in Kashmir.

“The Army is not responsible for the current situation in Kashmir. The situation in Kashmir is not normal and AFSPA cannot be amended or removed even from select areas,” Mr Raju told reporters during an interaction at the Indian Women's Press Corps here. He also said the AFSPA was a “necessary security blanket” which the Army needs while fighting terrorism.

The Army has been maintaining that extra-ordinary laws are required to handle extra-ordinary situation. It may be recalled that the Supreme Court, which examined the law, had said that its provision are neither arbitrary nor against the Constitution.

The minister’s statement coincides with the visit of an all-party delegation to the Jammu and Kashmir. Political parties in Kashmir, barring Congress, have been demanding the lifting of the AFSPA.

But there is an acknowledgement in Congress that the Centre will have to make some significant measures to bring back normalcy to the Valley. In her address to an all-party meeting here, Ms Sonia Gandhi had stressed the need for some fence-mending. “We must give them hope, we must understand and respect their legitimate aspirations. This should be reflected in what we say and decide. We need to be magnanimous and mature in our approach, as befits a strong, confident and inclusive democracy,” Ms Gandhi had said.

But equally, there is stiff resistance from political parties over making concessions that would curtail the elbow room for the armed forces. At the last all-party meeting here, parties such as SP, BSP and RJD —parties that are not normally given to demanding muscular response to critical problems — had asked the government not to do anything that would demoralise the Army.