New Delhi: Defence Minister A K Antony on Tuesday ruled out repealing a law which gives sweeping powers of arrest and detention to the armed forces in militancy-affected areas but said there was scope for improvement.
The Second Administrative Reforms Commission on Monday recommended that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) that gives extraordinary powers to security forces fighting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast be repealed.
Antony said that could not be done, as "the army needs special powers to act effectively (in militancy-affected areas). I don't think the time has come for the repeal of the AFSPA but there is always scope for improvement."
"We can make the law more humane," he said at a function. The armed forces need “extra-ordinary powers and laws” to fight militancy in “extraordinary” situations and places.
The army will continue to fight militancy in the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir till the situation becomes normal, Antony said.
Antony’s statement rejects the demand of the People’s Democratic Party, the partner of the ruling Congress in Jammu and Kashmir, for repealing the AFSPA.
Antony claimed his ministry doesn’t’ tolerate human rights violations and will not allow laws to be misused. "Even extra-ordinary action has been taken in some cases to send out a clear signal that we will not tolerate any violation of human rights," Antony told PTI.
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