Won’t dilute or change AFSPA in J&K: Centre

The Centre has ruled out the possibility of any dilution or partial withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir. Sources said the Centre has been closely monitoring the security situation in the Valley, particularly in wake of the recent increase in attacks on security forces, and feels that in the present scenario there is no possibility of any changes in the status of AFSPA in the state.

Union home minister Rajnath Singh had rushed to Srinagar following a major attack on a CRPF convoy in Pampore last month in which eight security personnel were killed. He also reviewed a high-level security meeting in Srinagar last Friday at which the AFSPA came up for discussion, sources said, but the home minister and his senior officials were of the opinion that in the prevailing situation AFSPA cannot be altered or partially withdrawn.

The BJP’s alliance partner in the state, the PDP, is keen that AFSPA be withdrawn at least from some parts of the state where terror-related incidents and violence have shown a decline. But the Centre and security forces operating in the Valley are not keen on this. Even during the UPA-2 government, former J&K CM Omar Abdullah had made a strong appeal to the Centre to partially withdraw AFSPA from some parts of the state. It is believed that even though the then home minister, P. Chidambaram, had been in favour of the move, it was strongly resisted by the Army and intelligence agencies.

During the security review meeting in Srinagar, attended by J&K governor N.N. Vohra and CM Mehbooba Mufti, home ministry officials told the state government they were closely monitoring the situation.

“We told the state government that the status of AFSPA will be reviewed as and when the situation is more favourable and the security scenario improves further. At present it is not possible, especially with the recent spurt in incidents of security forces being targeted,” a senior home ministry official said.