TODAY -

The political games they play
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: February 09, 2013 -

AFSPA Divide : P Chidambaram and Sharmila
AFSPA Divide : P Chidambaram and Sharmila :: Pix - TSE



It is always difficult to make out any sense from the games that politicians play on the life of common people.

But it would be a fallacy to assume that it would be a difficult task for the common people to find out the real intention behind such political games.

This is exactly what has happened when the Central Government tries to buy time to talk on the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 or explain away the atrocities committed by armed security personnel with immunity granted under the military Act.

A day after Finance Minister P Chidambaram claimed that the strong stand of the Indian Army against any dilution or amendment to the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act has made it difficult for the government to move forward on the proposal of Justice Verma Commission to review the provisions of the Act,, Defence Minister AK Antony on Thursday assured ruthless action against armed forces personnel involved in crimes against women.

Delivering the K Subrahmanyam Memorial Lecture at New Delhi on Wednesday, Chidambaram contended that the armed forces, and especially the Chief of Army Staff, the present one and the previous one, have taken a very strong position that AFSPA should not be amended.

"We have Jeevan Reddy Committee report but yet if the Army takes a very strong stand against any dilution or any amendment to AFSPA, it is difficult for a civil government to move forward… I think you should ask the question to the armed forces and ask why are they so opposed to even some amendment to AFSPA which will make AFSPA more humanitarian," Chidambaram is quoted to have said.

Even as the assertion of Finance Minister P Chidadamabam, despite being the Home Minister earlier, over the inability of the Government to act over the series of recommendations for amending AFSPA, a subject which is out of the purview of his Ministry, is questionable; the manner in which he has put the blame on the Army for preventing the Government from making any changes to the draconian military Act is simply shocking.

Does this means Indian Army can actually dictate policy and prevent a democratically elected Government from bringing about necessary changes in a legislation which it itself has felt the need for making it more humane?

It's obvious that the contention of Chidambaram has not gone down too well with Defence Minister AK Anthony, who while commenting on the opposition of women activists over keeping the armed forces personnel out of the purview of the anti-rape ordinance recently assented by the President, at Bangalore on Thursday maintained that "our government is serious and concerned about the security of women. We will take strongest action against people who create problems for women. The ordinance is coming to Parliament. After it, we will be able to take strong against such people ruthlessly. That applies to armed forces also."

Now, in the light of these divergent viewpoints over the stand of the Central Government vis-a-vis the public demand for removal of AFSPA, one is constraint to think over whether the two Cabinet colleagues are simply making some noises to divert the attention of the people from the core issue of human rights and its suppression under a draconian and racist legislation.



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