New Delhi, Mar 26, KDC: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said the Centre will consider revoking Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from Jammu and Kashmir and that it has a roadmap to withdraw troops from the Union Territory.
In an interview to Jammu and Kashmir-based news channel Gulistan News, Shah said that the government will surely consider revoking AFSPA from Jammu and Kashmir in the future. “The situation is getting normal and we are speedily considering on revoking the AFSPA from Jammu and Kashmir and a state of change is being considered,” he added.
On being asked about decreasing the footprints of security forces in J&K in view of improved law and order situation, he said that the government has already drawn a roadmap for the withdrawal of troops and that the process will be initiated after elections.
“We have plans to withdraw troops and leave law and order to the Jammu and Kashmir Police alone. Earlier, the J&K police was not trusted by New Delhi but today they are at the forefront to tackle any situation,” he said.
He said that earlier CRPF and security forces would handle the law and order situation, but now the government has empowered the J&K Police and it is now at the forefront to handle any situation.
“We are strengthening the J&K police and it has now stood on its feet. Most of the encounters are being conducted by the police now. We only give central forces as a support to them and a culture has changed.”
He said that the process for withdrawal for troops has already been initiated, which is why J&K police is at the forefront.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said 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.
Shah said that terrorism is being “wiped out” in the Union Territory and that stone-pelting has become a thing of the past.
Shah about the changes post-abrogation of Article 370, Shah said, “The misconceptions regarding Article 370 have been busted. It was always said that with the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, its culture, language, and identity would come to an end. Five years have passed; nothing has happened.”
“Today, Kashmiri is a free Kashmiri and is buzzing with tourists. The value of its food and language has improved. A rumour was spread that with the abrogation of Article 370, there would be a flux of thousands of people into Kashmir, threatening Kahmiriyat. Nothing of the sort happened,” Shah added.
On August 5, 2019, the Central government announced the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir granted under Article 370 and split the region into two Union territories.
“I am again saying to the people of Kashmir that there are many states in India. Today, in Gujarat, Gujarati’s have their own culture, Bengalis have their own culture, and Marathi’s have their own culture. I am happy that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are experiencing this feeling,” Shah said.
“In Jammu and Kashmir, under the garb of Article 370, which was a catalyst for separatist ideology, the youth were pushed down the path of terrorism and were misused by Pakistan,” he said.
Amit Shah said that over 40,000 youth were killed in the past four decades. “Today, Jammu and Kashmir is marching ahead with peace; terrorism is being wiped out. The tradition of the biannual ‘Darbar Move has been abolished. Stone-pelting has not nearly but been reduced to zero,” Shah said.
“An anti-corruption bureau has been formed to crack down on corruption. The money of the public is reaching out to them,” Shah added. (KDC)
