Chidambaram asks Jaitley to clear stand on existing format of AFSPA law

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday hit back at Union Minister Arun Jaitley for criticising Congress' promise to amend the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and questioned whether the BJP leader supported "enforced disappearance, sexual violence and torture".

The former Union Home Minister also took on Jaitley for his barb that "some of the important points" in the Congress election manifesto had been drafted by Congress President Rahul Gandhi's "friend in 'Tukde, Tukde gang' when it deals with Jammu and Kashmir."

In a series of tweets, Chidambaram said, "There is no tukhde tukhde gang in the Congress. There is only a flip flop gang in the BJP."

In its manifesto, the Congress has promised to amend the AFSPA, if it comes to power in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Slamming this, Jaitley had said the Congress party has made the document to "save terrorists and Maoists."

Responding to this, Chidambaram tweeted, "Is Mr @arunjaitley supporting 'enforced disappearance, sexual violence and torture'? We say that in these three cases there should be no immunity under AFSPA. What does Mr Jaitley say?"

Chidambaram also asked Jaitley to explain why he did not oppose the repeal of AFSPA from Tripura in 2015, Meghalaya in 2018 and parts of Arunachal Pradesh earlier this week.

The Congress leader posted: "Why has Mr @arunjaitley not answered the questions on withdrawal of AFSPA from Tripura (2015), Meghalaya (2018) and parts of Arunachal Pradesh (1-4-2019)?"

Chidambaram yesterday said his party's promise of amending the AFSPA was about striking a balance between rights of armed forces and human rights.