Centre to revoke AFSPA Act, reduce troops in Jammu and Kashmir: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that the Centre is planning to revoke the controversial AFSPA Act and pull back some troops from Jammu and Kashmir.

With Lok Sabha elections approaching, Amit Shah also said that the government will leave law and order to the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

In an interview with Jammu and Kashmir-based Gulistan News, the BJP leader said, "We have plans to pull back troops and leave law and order to the Jammu and Kashmir Police alone. We are strengthening the police, who are at the forefront during the encounter…We will definitely consider this proposal (revoke the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. The situation is being normalised".

Lok Sabha polls: From PM Modi to Amit Shah, BJP releases star campaigners list

According to Shah the troops will move gradually from the union territory and go to the barracks. The government has designed a seven years blueprint, Shah added.

The AFSPA gives armed forces personnel, operating in disturbed areas “special powers” like arresting individuals they find suspicious, and doing encounters if they deem it necessary for the maintenance of “law and order”. An area or district is notified as disturbed under the AFSPA to facilitate the operations of the armed forces

In the upcoming Lok Sabha election, the Modi government is boasting some of the crucial actions it took in the past five years as it eyes to regain the regime for the third time. The list of tasks that the governemnt is boasting about includes the removal of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. The Centre has maintained that since the abrogation of Article 370, terrorist activities have dwindled in the region significantly.

Rahul Gandhi should clarify where he got his ‘hafta vasooli’ from: Amit Shah

The Union Home Minister also told in the interview that under the garb of Article 370, the youth were "pushed down the path of terrorism" in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, which is marching ahead with "peace" since its abrogation nearly five years ago.

After Shah's statement, two former ministers of Jammu and Kashmir welcomed the proposed revocation of AFSPA but expressed fears that it might be just a poll promise the BJP.

MHA extends ban on Yasin Malik's JKLF by 5 years

Former chief minister and National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah said the promise of revoking the AFSPA has been made in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls while PDP president Mehbooba Mufti hoped it would not be a "Jumelbaazi" like the BJP promise of providing two crore jobs in the country every year.

Lok Sabha election 2024 dates announced: Jammu & Kashmir to vote in five phases, results on June 4 | Full schedule

The Lok Sabha polls are scheduled to be held in seven phases starting April 19. In Jammu and Kashmir, the Lok Sabha polls will be held in five phases and the counting of the votes will take place on June 4. The result will also be declared on the same day. The Phase 1 voting will be held on April 19, Phase 2 voting will be held on April 26, Phase 3 voting will be held on May 7, Phase 4 voting will be held on May 13 and voting in Phase 5 will be on May 20.