AFSPA applicable in J&K, its debate politically motivated: BJP

Terming the debate on revocation of AFSPA "uncalled for" and politically motivated, BJP today said nothing should be done that hampers anti-insurgency operations in the state and undermines the resolve of the security forces to maintain internal and external security.
"The said Act (AFSPA) is very much in force and no area has been denotified for the purpose of the applicability of this Act," said Farooq Khan, BJP state spokesperson.
"The debate is uncalled for and politically motivated," he said.
Khan, while explaining the issue, said that Disturbed Area Act (DAA) 1997, which is under discussion has no relevance with the continuation of AFSPA in JK state.

"In fact, AFSPA is a self-contained Act, which came into being in JK in September 1990 with retrospective effect from July 1990, while the said DAA was not even born on the statute Books of the state," he added.
"Any notification under AFSPA regarding denotification of any area of the state has to be issued by the Governor or Government of India," he said, adding that the confusion, which is deliberately being created that AFSPA is dependent upon DAA for its existence in the state, is far from truth.
"Even the agenda of governance unambiguously says that only the Centre in this regard will take the final view," he said.

"The state BJP, once again, reassures the nation that it will not allow anybody to tinker with Indian sovereignty and integrity of the nation," he added.