SRINAGAR, Aug 15: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that he regrets having no success in selective revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the state where a conflict has killed tens of thousands but now violence was declining.
“We wanted to reach a point where we could start gradually revoking the AFSPA…but I have no hesitation in saying that I feel sad as we have yet to reach that point,” Omar said during celebrations to mark the 65th anniversary of Indian Independence at Bakshi stadium in Srinagar.
The chief minister, however, did not divulge into details about what was hindering the selective removal of the act – which givess immunity from prosecution to soldiers – from certain areas of the state with negligble militancy-related violence.
“But let me tell you that the process has not stopped as the dialogue over the issue is still on.”
Kashmir has witnessed more than two decades of violence since an armed conflict broke out in the early nineties and the AFSPA is in force to help the Army fight insurgents without the fear of prosecution over civilian casualties in their course of duty.
Rights groups, however, have many a time accused soldiers of extra-judicial killings for “monetary benefits or awards”.
But now, with violence gradually declining, Abdullah has been spearheading discussions with the union Home and Defence ministries over revocation of the act.
Abdullah expressed confidence that the controversial law will be revoked within the tenure of the National Conference-Congress coalition government headed by him.
“I reiterate what I said on the floor of the Assembly that AFSPA will be revoked within the tenure of this government,” he said.
