KL Report
SRINAGAR
Reacting to a statement of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command Lt General KT Parnaik where he had said that that the revocation of controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) might put at stake the “fragile” peace existing in Jammu and Kashmir, National conference Tuesday took a dig at army for becoming hurdle in AFSPA revocation with National conference Member parliament Mehboob Beg terming it a threat to democracy.
“In a democratic country political statements issued by Army could prove dangerous. I fail to understand in what capacity Lt General Parnaik has given such statement when we have an elected government. Such decisions are to be taken by elected Chief Minster not by Army. Government of India should stop Army from issuing such statements,” Beg told a local news agency, KNS.
Beg further said, “AFSPA should at least be revoked form the peaceful areas. If army claims that peace has returned to the Valley then why they oppose its revocation?” and added, “Militants can strike with or without AFSPA so it is wrong to say AFSPA is necessary to maintain peace.”
Meanwhile National Conference general secretary Mustafa Kamal also reacted over the statement of Lt General Parnaik by saying, “Army is trying to scuttle the revocation of the act to save its troops from accountability. Army has no role in revocation of AFSPA. If army claims that Act is need for them for counter insurgency then it would have saved four army men in Tral,” Kamal told KNS.
“Time has come when GOI should revoke the law beyond the interests of Army as they use it as shield in their unlawful activities.”
He said, “Army have committed heinous crimes in Kashmir and is actually misused the act for their personal interest. Army is actually aware that if this law is removed from the scene they will be held answerable for their unlawful activities,” Kamal said.
