Time to Decide If AFSPA Can Be Revoked in Kashmir, But Home Ministry to Make Final Call: Rajnath Singh | News18 Interview

Defence minister Rajnath Singh in an exclusive conversation with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi on Friday indicated it was almost time for the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act to be revoked in the Kashmir valley but said that the union home ministry would make the final decision.

AFSPA gives armed forces personnel, operating in disturbed areas, sweeping powers to search, arrest, and open fire if they deem it necessary for “the maintenance of public order”.

“Now the time has come to decide that it can be removed; now the decision will have to be taken by the home ministry after the report comes. I said that the circumstances have become such that AFSPA can be removed but whatever action has to be taken in this regard will be taken by the home ministry,” said Rajnath Singh.

An area or district is notified as disturbed under AFSPA to facilitate the operations of the armed forces.

In an interview with the JK Media Group a few days ago, home minister Amit Shah said: “We will also think of revoking AFSPA.”

The Centre introduced the Act in J&K in the 1990s as it believed several parts of the state were disturbed, and defence forces should be given power to maintain peace in the region.

The then J&K government declared Kashmir valley as a disturbed area under Section 3 of AFSPA. Later, in August 2001, it extended the provision to the Jammu province.

Shah had also said that the government had plans to pull back troops in the union territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir and leave the maintenance of law and order to the local police.

“Soon the police of Jammu and Kashmir will take care of law and order, and the troops will be withdrawn gradually. We have made a blueprint for seven years, and we are working on strengthening the police of Jammu and Kashmir. Most of the violent incidents are handled by the police since they are at the forefront, and the central forces support them. Therefore, a change in the culture can be witnessed,” the minister said, adding that earlier, the UT’s police were not trusted, but today they are leading the operations.