Draconian law AFSPA is in full vogue in J&K As rightly pointed by GK columnist Hassan Zaingree that “AFSPA and democracy are irreconcilable and can’t be stuffed in one scabbard”. This law which provides full patronage and impunity to the Indian soldiers has wreaked havoc and let loose reign of terror in JK and has made troops to act above the law of land. Ironically India who claims to be ‘worlds largest democracy’ and ‘champion of human rights’ is still following this notorious law which has been condemned by international human rights organisations. Notwithstanding this criticism this act is in full force in many states of India as well, although it matters for India when violations occur in any other state as for them kashmiris are children of lesser God. In 2004 when a Manipuri women Thang jam Manorama was violated and killed by Assam Rifles of Indian army, protests followed which forced the then P.M A.B.Vajpayee to set a commission to review the provisions of the AFSPA in November 2004 which was headed by Justice Jeevan Reddy, V.R.rashavan, P.P.Shrivastava (former special secretary in union home ministry), Dr. S.B.Nakade (former VC Marathwada University), Sanjoy Hazarika (senior journalist). In their report they reported that “the act, for whatever reason has become a symbol of oppression, an object of hate, and an instrument of discrimination and high handness”. However this report was made to look like as North-east-centric view and missed J&K. The average mentions about J&K by the US state dept in its country state report on human rights violations and killings in conflict areas are 56.4 from 1993-2002. For Manipur it is mere 7.3 during this period, combined US state dept for seven north east states is 36.2 far less than J&K.Indian troops empowered with many other draconian laws such as P.S.A (where in any person can be detained without trial for 2 years) are indulging in worst kind state sponsored terrorism, which is increasing alienation of kashmiris from India more and more and in the words of S.A.F.M.A this alienation is ‘complete and irreversible’. But still those at the helm of affairs haven’t shown any iota of consciousness or any word of sympathy (unlike in case of Sikh riots to which P.M’s head got ‘hung in shame’) with the people of Kashmir. That is why these troops aren’t taken by Kashmiris as custodians of law but alien and evil forces representing their colonial masters sitting at New Delhi.
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