Welcome to Congress Manifesto for Repeal AFSPA and Condemnation to decisive agenda of BJP

04th April, 2019

Repeal AFSPA Campaign (Formerly Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign) welcomes decision of Indian National Congress that it included the declaration regarding consideration of dilution of AFSPA if it comes to power.

We also condemn the vicious agenda of Bhartiya Janta Party where its leaders, unfortunately even Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi also in their speeches not only brought name of army (Despite election commission's direction of not using army's name in election campaigning) but also condemning congress manifesto for the AFSPA review agenda.

We want to make it clear that such decisive political agenda does not suit to a national party like BJP as the party must know following facts:

It was not BJP that brought this act in practice and if it was brought by congress since its inception, BJP must accept that Congress has some thought regarding national integration and security to tackle through this in that time in 1958 (in North East States) and in 1990 (in J&K) and hence now again, if the party (Congress) wish to reconsider its applicability after 70 years of Independence, it must be welcomed.

Imposing of AFSPA was always dependent upon declaring the area as 'Disturbed' under disturb area act which is even at present has condition of review on every six months. Putting it under 'review' of 'six months' automatically mean that this is not 'permanent' and the tag of 'disturbed area' may be revoked once situation would improve.

In past few such areas got AFSPA free through revoking tag of 'Disturbed area' and it created a confidence building upon local people and situation remained peaceful.

BJP must also know that even BJP as a political party promised to people of Manipur to repeal AFSPA once it will form the government (in the year 2014) though it betrayed now from its promise and not only betrayed, but also politicising the same demand when it is made by Congress party.

BJP must also know that it has successfully repealed AFSPA from few areas of North East during last five years.

BJP must know that politicising the fact only for political agenda cannot be considered fine when the same was done by this party itself. Also, demand or consideration to review or repeal AFSPA has nothing against army or national security as even a common person knows that it would be done only when situation would be in such review and after green signals of all stakeholders of national security.

BJP must know that even veterans of armed forces, retired police officers have advocated repeal of AFSPA for the reasons that this act has such absolute powers that it has been misused on few occasions where innocents lost their lives or faced extreme tortures, disappearing and such cases comes under gross violations of human rights.

BJP must know that India's own National Human Rights Commission has visited many AFSPA imposed areas and even provided compensations to victims of human rights abuses.

BJP must know that not only national human rights organisations, but even independent international human rights agencies including UN Rapporteur have brought many stories of gross violations of human rights from these areas and even UN human rights commission has raised its voice on this act.

BJP must understand that national security and integrity is not a contract system owned by the political party, instead it comes through collective consciousness of general public, people's will and safety and security of common lives. Unfortunately, people in North East regions and J&K, in large numbers are suffering with atrocities and forced to live in shadow of guns. On the other hand, military persons also suffering a hard life in these areas where they are 'in aid of civil power' but they are forced to live almost permanently and a majority of honest and dedicated security personals are losing morale and facing criticism due to misusing of AFSPA absolute powers by handful of security personals who r=are free from any inquiry.

BJP must also study the cases of 1528 extra judicial killings pending with Supreme Court of India where the randomly picked six cases by Hon'ble Supreme Court of India were made investigated under a panel formed by Supreme Court and cases found true.

We, at Repeal AFSPA campaign want to express to common people of India that what BJP is doing is a propaganda and they are not concerned with the national security agenda. We all are with the people and with our arned forces and the demand to repeal or review the act AFSPA is not any anti-army demand, instead it is just about the policy and its rule that need to be reviewed in the light of justice to enhance morale of security forces, to prevent human rights violations, to enhance accountability and to improve overall situation and confidence building of people.

Ravi Nitesh
Convener- Repeal AFSPA Campaign
(formerly Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign) Blog: www.repealafspa.blogspot.com
Web: www.savesharmila.org