Rajnath Singh: AFSPA in J&K to go once permanent peace is established
Arjun Sharma
Jammu, June 26
With Kashmir-centric political parties time and again asking for scrapping of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the Union Territory, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that the Act would be revoked once permanent peace is established in J&K.
Kashmir-based leaders have often accused the Army of misusing the AFSPA and demanded its revocation.
“While we have controlled the problem of insurgency in the North-East, we have also succeeded in controlling extremism. Today, AFSPA has been removed from large parts of the North-East. I am waiting for the day when permanent peace will be established in J&K and AFSPA will be removed from here too,” Singh said while addressing the ‘National Security Conclave’ at University of Jammu.
At least 1,500 people from different fields including defence experts and retired Army personnel were invited to the conclave. Hitting out at Pakistan, Rajnath Singh said that just because of illegal occupation of parts of J&K, Pakistan does not have a locus standi.
“A unanimous resolution has been passed in Parliament regarding PoK that it is a part of India only,” he said.
Talking about the developmental projects in Ladakh, Singh said that the world’s highest road has been built in Ladakh at a height of 19,000 ft. “Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has connected the inaccessible areas by building a road at Umling La. Now, a 135-km-long highway is being built that will connect Demchok and Chushul which will shorten the way to reach Pangong Tso,” he informed. Remembering the Galwan incident in 2020 in which 20 Indian soldiers died in a clash with PLA, Singh said, “Three years have passed since that incident, but the country can never forget the bravery, valour and restraint shown by the Indian Army and the coming generations will also be proud of those brave soldiers.”
He further said that the reason for the dispute that arose in eastern Ladakh was that the Chinese forces ignored the agreed protocols.
