BJP says it is in tune with army chief on not withdrawing AFSPA

New Delhi, July 18 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday endorsed Army Chief General Bikram Singh's view that lifting of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the Kashmir Valley will affect security operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said one should not confront the army chief's views on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

"We have to trust the words of the army chief. And, if a general of the world's third largest army believes that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act should remain in Jammu and Kashmir, we should not confront him," Rudy said.

Rudy further said the Armed Forces Special Powers Act does ensure peace in the valley.

"There are recent instances, where lot of infiltration has taken place. There have been incidents of terrorist being caught and killed. And it's a time-tested evidence that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act does give lot of peace in the valley," said Rudy.

"The paramilitary forces; the state police along with the army, which does have certain exemption under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, has been able to perform well. I think the BJP would fully endorse the statement of the army chief," he added.

The Indian Army has time and again opposed the revocation of AFSA, stating that it would hamper anti-militancy operations and leave the armed forces handicapped.

General Bikram Singh, who visited the Northern Command last month, is believed to have recommended to the Ministry of Defence that the thinning of troops is not feasible at present, given the delicate security situation in the state and the presence of terror camps and launching pads across the Line of Control (LoC).

The revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act was also one of issues that figured prominently during the Army Chief's meeting with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

The Parliament of India passed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) on September 11, 1958. It grants special powers to the armed forces in what the act calls 'disturbed areas' in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura.

It was later extended to Jammu and Kashmir as the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990 in July 1990. (ANI)