Center to consider repeal of AFSPA, plans to withdraw troops from J&K: Amit Shah

New Delhi, March 27: (CNI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that the Union government will consider repealing the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Jammu and Kashmir.

In an interview with JK Media Group, Shah also said that the government plans to withdraw troops from the Union Territory (UT) and leave law and order to the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

“We have a plan to withdraw troops and leave law and order to J&K police. Earlier, J&K police was not trusted but today they are leading the operations,” he said.

On the controversial IFSP, the Home Minister said that we will also think about canceling IFSP.

The AFSPA gives broad powers to armed forces personnel, operating in disturbed areas, to search, arrest and fire if they deem it necessary to “maintain public order”.

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

Shah had earlier said that IFSPA has been removed from 70 per cent of the northeastern states even though it is in force in Jammu and Kashmir.

Various organizations and individuals in Jammu and Kashmir and North Eastern states have demanded the repeal of AFSPA.

Shah said that assembly elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir before September.

He said that promoting democracy in Jammu and Kashmir is the promise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and it will be fulfilled. However, this democracy will not be limited to only three families and it will be a people’s democracy.

The Supreme Court had directed to hold assembly elections in UT before September.

On the issues arising around SC, ST and OBC reservation, Shah said that for the first time the OBCs of Jammu and Kashmir have been given reservation by the Modi government and one-third reservation has been given to women.

“OBCs have been given reservation in panchayats and urban bodies. We have made room for SCs and STs. Paharis have been given 10 per cent reservation, without reducing the share of Gujjars and Bakarwals. And there are special provisions. Built to provide accommodation to displaced people from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

He said that the Center is committed to ensure that these benefits reach the grassroots level.

Shah claimed that National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti tried their best to stir up anger over these reservations, but the people have now understood their intentions.

He questioned why NC did not give reservation to these people in the last 75 years.

The interior minister claimed that Abdullah had left for England when terrorism was on the rise. He further said that both Abdullah and Mehbooba have no right to speak on this matter.

“The number of fake contests that took place during his tenure was not matched by any other government,” he said.

Shah said that not a single fake encounter has taken place in the last five years. Rather, FIRs have been registered against people involved in fake encounters, he added.

Shah said that the Hurriyat Conference has no place in the dialogue process. He also clarified that the BJP and the entire Parliament believe that POK is an integral part of India.

He said that “Muslim brothers are also Indians and Hindu brothers living in PoK are also Indians and the land illegally occupied by Pakistan also belongs to India.” To get it back is the goal of every Indian, every Kashmiri.” .

The Home Minister said that there were 2564 incidents of stone pelting in 2010 which is zero now from 2004 to 2014, there were 7217 incidents of terrorism. It has dropped to 2,227 from 2014 to 2023, a nearly 70 percent reduction, he said.

Shah said that the total number of deaths from 2004 to 2014 was 2,829 and it has come down to 915 during 2014-23, which is a 68% reduction.

Civilian casualties from 1,770 have been reduced to 341, a reduction of 81 percent. He said the security forces’ casualties fell from 1,060 to 574, a 46 percent drop.

The senior BJP leader said that without the support of the people, such a comprehensive change can never happen.

He said that those who talk about Islam should know that 85 percent of the dead were our Muslim brothers and sisters.

Shah also asked the youth of Jammu and Kashmir to stay away from Pakistan’s conspiracies.

He said that today Pakistan is surrounded by the scourge of hunger and poverty and even the people there see Kashmir as paradise. I want to tell everyone that if anyone can save Kashmir, it is PM Modi.

The Home Minister said that the Modi government is boosting the morale of the security forces by giving jobs to the families of the martyrs.

He said, “Today not a single martyr’s family is unemployed.”

(CNI)