#remove AFSPA

[newsmrl]

Know what is the controversial law AFSPA implemented in Assam since 1990, which Assam CM Himanta Biswa is planning to withdraw

AFSPA can be removed from Assam soon, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa was addressing the Commandant’s Conference on Monday. He said the move would facilitate the deployment of Assam Police battalions in place of the Central Armed Police Forces or CAPFs. AFSPA, the controversial law in force in Assam since 1990, gives security forces the power to crack down and arrest anyone without a warrant.…

[kupwaratimes-fan]

AFSPA removal in J&K conditional to complete return of peace: Defense Minister Rajnath Singh

AFSPA removal in J&K conditional to complete return of peace: Defense Minister Rajnath Singh  Jammu, June 26 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is conditional to complete return of peace in the region. “AFSPA will be removed from the Union Territory of J&K once complete peace…

[meetdheeraj]

There was a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir (what is the new name after dividing the state into three parts?).

I can see some of you who don't otherwise post “political” opinions about it. Honestly, I'm happy to see all of you sticking your neck out. I'm not suggesting I know better but do you know what terrorism or terrorists mean? Forget dictionary meaning or legal definition. In your head, what does it mean? Is it terrorism when a section of people in Manipur are mercilessly killed, their houses are burnt, women approach police and police hand them to a mob from the majority community and later videos of them being paraded go viral; Is that terrorism? There's murder, burning, rapes and still, it doesn't sound like terrorism. Why is it? Is it because the media is not calling it so? Or because so many of you are not posting “I condemn terrorists rampaging havoc in Manipur”?

Okay. Okay. Manipur is too much stressful. Probably it'll harm your mental health if you start knowing about Manipur. Forget it then.

How about that man in uniform on the train taking his service gun and shooting Muslims while chanting religious and political slogans, is that terrorism? Why do we still not refer to him as a terrorist? We went so far as to call him mental! Not terrorist. He killed people, and chanted religious and political slogans but somehow for you and so many others, his wasn't an act of terror. We know terrorism is bad and terrorists are bad guys. But what exactly is terrorism? And who are terrorists? Should people have to topple a bus to be named terrorists? Should the violence happen in Jammu and Kashmir for it to be termed as terrorism? Like Jats in Haryana or Rajasthan can remove railway tracks while demanding reservations but we don't refer to them as terrorists but a Kashmiri pelting a pebble at an Indian army gunman is definitely termed a terrorist. Perhaps where violence takes place has to do with the definition in your head. If so…

Have you heard of Kunan Poshspora where Indian armed forces carried out mass rapes? Have you heard of that girl in the northeast who had gun wounds in her private regions and traces of semen? Oh, wait! We don't refer to men in uniform as terrorists. They have the legal right to kill and maybe rapes are also allowed under AFSPA. I don't know but I have never heard an armyman tried for it. So who is a terrorist then? My head hurts trying to think about the answer. It appears you all have some clarity on the subject. Unlike me, you don't post regularly. Perhaps your lives are important, you all have life and you all are busy. Once in a while something happens and it shakes you so much that you leave out your “I'm not political” rule and post political opinion. Maybe Palestine is too far for you to bother about but Jammu and Kashmir is a piece of land that belongs to you. I'm still trying to think about how your brain works. What motivates it and why.

On a separate note, I'll not force myself to post any such things. Terrorists will do what they do and are known to do, rapists will rape, thieves will steal, robbers will rob and scammers will scam. It's what they do. It's the job of the media to inform us when so and so happens. And it is the job of the government, and administration to first, stop such things from happening and second, if in case they happen then to investigate, catch and punish the perpetrators. I believe ordinary citizens and people in positions of influence must speak out when people in power aka govt do not do their job. For example, Kashmir is the world's most militarised region. What does that mean? It has the highest ratio of citizens to gunmen. Kashmir is also directly ruled by the Modi govt. Modi hasn't conducted elections there since he divided the state into three regions. Only recently a vehicle full of ammunition was rammed into an army base causing huge damage and embarrassment. How did such a vehicle with such large quantities of arms go past multiple army checkposts? Were army men involved with terrorists to aid them in committing such a heinous crime? We didn't bother to ask Modi these questions and he didn't bother to inform us anyway. We don't know what happened. Then recently some fraud from Gujarat claimed he was close to Modi and was visiting all sensitive army regions. In fact, he was taken around by Indian army officials. What kind of security does the Indian army have? What sort of verification procedures. No one asked, and no one answered. Modi demonetised and created havoc with the Indian economy but told us it broke the backbone of terrorism in Kashmir. There was the abrogation of article 370 defended on the same lines. So how's it still happening? Who is letting it happen? Is the Indian army incompetent? Or is Modi not letting them function? Do you want Modi to answer these questions or do you want to forget and wait until it repeats?

Here's a bit of truth. The reason why you post this is because it aligns with your politics. You're political. No one's apolitical. Your endgame is demonising a community. You're not bothered about lives lost. If you did, you would have spoken about Manipur, or about multiple Muslims murdered on Indian streets and video-graphed. A cabinet minister nonetheless went and garlanded convicts of lynching cases. Don't forget. Or when the rapists of Bilkis Bano were released by the Modi govt just before the Gujarat elections. Hindu organisations welcomed them with garlands and honoured them on a stage. Nice photographs. See. You're not bothered about rapes and deaths of people. You don't care who was killed in Jammu and Kashmir. You have a carefully curated politics in your head. You know it's awful. That's why you want to pretend apolitical about other matters where posting about it does not align with your politics. But here, you have to post. You don't want to lose the chance to dehumanise a community. Subtle huh?

I'm not suggesting you should not post. Please do. But also invest some time into thinking why are you bothering to post about it. Are you trying to inform your followers? Why? Is it because the media is not covering it? It actually is. Media didn't cover Manipur, Brijbhushan, Prajwal Devanna etc., but then you kept quiet. So why are you posting? Are you feeling sad? You are against terrorism and you want to tell it to your followers? What kind of followers do you have that think anyone would be in favour of terrorism? Aren't we all against violence, rape, child marriages, slavery etc? Are you trying to say yes? But read again, it doesn't appear like you are against rape and murder, right? That's what perplexes me.

Lastly, "all eyes on.." is copy of "All eyes on Rafah". Do you understand what it implies? With respect to Palestinian atrocities, the aim or charge was that Israel is killing people and administration (in this case everyone from UN, world powers etc have failed to stop the genocide) and because they have failed we need more eyeballs to force their attention onto the ongoing massacre. In case of Jammu and Kashmir then, who are we saying has failed? Who is in charge here? Who was supposed to stop terrorism? Who is supposed to find and charge terrorists? Narendra Modi right? So are you saying the god that you otherwise praise unlimitedly has failed to do his job? Again? If that was the case you would target Modi, ask him what is he doing? What did he do last time that terrorists could strike again? Well well well, you see, you're not asking that.

Anyway, good luck with your non-consequential outrage whose only aim is to foster animosity between two communities which is exactly also what fundamentalists and terrorists want. The same thing Modi tried throughout his election campaign. You all want same same thing. For both to hate each other.

[all-about-news24x7]

AFSPA To Be Removed From J&K When Peace Returns: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh | File Photo ‘This Act removed from large parts of North East, waiting for the day to see JK free from it’ Srinagar- Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) will be removed from Jammu and Kashmir once peace returns to the Union Territory. Addressing a security conclave in Jammu, the defence minister, as per…

[kashmirmonitor]

AFSPA to be removed from JK when peace returns: Rajnath Singh

Jammu, June 26: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) will be removed from Jammu and Kashmir once peace returns to the Union Territory. Addressing a security conclave in Jammu, the defence minister said the law will be removed from J&K too. Singh said, ” While we have controlled the problem of insurgency in North East India, we have also…

[iobnewsnetwork]

AFSPA likely to be removed completely from Assam by November, says Himanta Biswa Sarma

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act will likely be removed completely from Assam by November, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday, reported NDTV. AFSPA gives Army personnel sweeping powers in disturbed areas to search, arrest and to open fire if they deem it necessary for “the maintenance of public order”. The law was first imposed in Assam in November 1990 and is extended after a review of the security situation every six months. It is currently in place in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts as well as Lakhipur subdivision of Cachar district, reported The Times of India. The Union government has the power to withdraw AFSPA from a state. On Monday, Sarma said that removal of AFSPA will lead to the replacement of the Central Armed Police Forces with the Assam Police Battalions as per law. “We will also rope in ex-military personnel to train our police force,” he added. In May last year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said he was certain that AFSPA would be revoked soon from Assam. On April 28, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said the Centre was making efforts to completely remove the Act from the North East. However, since then, the contentious law has been extended... Read more Read the full article

[newssy]

‘Hopeful AFSPA Will Be Removed In Next 3-4 Yrs’: Amit Shah in Poll-Bound Nagaland

Last Updated: February 21, 2023, 13:31 IST BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah addressing a poll rally in Nagaland ahead of assembly election in the state. In 2018, BJP formed its first government in alliance with the NDPP in the Christian-majority Nagaland Urging the people of Nagaland to vote for Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in the upcoming Assembly polls, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah…

[baitdragon]

We Showed Red Card To Hurdles In Northeast's Development: PM Modi's Football Analogy At Shillong Event

In Shillong, PM Modi inaugurated, dedicated, and lay the foundation stone of multiple projects worth over Rs 2450 crores besides attending a golden jubilee celebration of the North Eastern Council.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated various development projects during the golden jubilee celebrations of the North Eastern Council, in Shillong.

“When football fever is gripping us all, why not talk in football terminology? When someone goes against the sportsman spirit, they’re shown a red card and sent out. In the last 8 years, we’ve shown a red card to several hurdles in the development of the northeast,” PM Modi said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

The Prime Minister further said, “We are making honest efforts to send out corruption, bias, nepotism, violence, stalling of projects, and vote bank politics. But you know that the roots of these diseases run deep. So, we all have to uproot it together.”

Earlier, attempts were made to divide Northeast, we are removing these divisions, he stated.

In Shillong, the Prime Minister inaugurated, dedicated, and lay the foundation stone of multiple projects worth over Rs 2450 crores besides attending a golden jubilee celebration of the North Eastern Council.

“When we changed the priorities of the Central government, its positive impact is visible across the country. This year, the Centre is spending Rs 7 Lakh crore just for infrastructure. 8 yrs back, this was less than even Rs 2 Lakh crore. 7 decades after independence, we reached only up to Rs 2 Lakh crore,” PM Modi mentioned, as quoted by ANI.

He remarked that political parties that had governments for a long time, had the mindset of ‘divide’ for Northeast. “We’ve come with the mindset of ‘divine’. Be it different communities or regions — we are removing all divisions. Not borders of disputes, we are building corridors of development in the Northeast,” he added.

“In the last 8 years, several outfits left the path of violence and followed the path of peace. In coordination with the state governments, the situation is being continuously improved to see that there is no need for AFSPA in the northeast,” he further said.

The Prime Minister emphasised that decade-long border disputes between states are being resolved. “For us, the North East Border Area is not the endpoint, but a gateway to security and prosperity. Therefore, today the work of building new roads, new tunnels, new bridges, new rail lines, new airstrips is going on at a fast pace on the border,” he added.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Ministers of the northeastern states, and others participated in the celebrations.

PM Modi, on the occasion, released ‘Golden Footprints’, a commemorative volume chronicling NEC’s contribution towards the development of the northeast over the last 50 years, according to an official statement.

A short film on NEC’s journey of 50 years was also screened on the occasion, the statement said.

Apart from the PM, Shah and G Kishan Reddy, the Union minister for culture, tourism and development of north-eastern region (DoNER), addressed the session.

The PM, who is also set to visit Tripura later in the day, will be inaugurating and laying foundation stones of projects worth more than Rs 6,800 crore in the two northeastern states during the day.

Both states are heading for assembly polls, which are likely to be held in February.

[fishyyyyy99]

How is it Hinduphobia to acknowledge that Kashmir is being controlled in an unjust way? Criticizing a leader who is Hindu, is not Hinduphobia. I do acknowledge the wrongs that were done to Kashmiri Pandits, and I condemn those wrongs. They have a right to self-determination. That does not mean India gets to impose itself on Kashmir. I'm not here to say what Kashmiris (of any religion) should or shouldn't do, they should be allowed to decide for themselves whether they want to be independent or join India or join Pakistan. Yes, I know that Sec 370 was meant to be temporary. But a plebiscite was also meant to be conducted, and that never happened. It's not just Al Jazeera or social media posts that have questioned the ethics of removing Kashmir's special status, considering its historical and legal context. Also, even if none of this had happened, and Kashmir never had special status, separatist ideology is not inherently morally wrong. Nationalism is also not inherently wrong. But actions taken by those who believe in either of these ideologies can be wrong. The violence against Kashmiri Pandits was wrong. And so is the unfair use of AFSPA.

Also, regardless of how an ideology spread, we don't get to punish all the members who believe in said ideology/religion for what some of them said or did. Hindu kings of different sects have also desecrated each other's temples. Hindus have also killed each other. All of these things are tragic, but can never take away an entire group's right to self-determination. And yes, I also believe that Jews have the right to self-determination, and that the attack on October 7th was wrong. That does not contradict the fact that I support Palestinian liberation.

Picture Credit: @brown.journals on instagram

[newsmrl]

जानिए क्या है 1990 से असम में लागु AFSPA, जिसे वापस लेने का प्लान बना रहे असम के सीएम

1990 से असम में लागु विवादास्पद कानून AFSPA सुरक्षा बलों को कार्रवाई करने और बिना वारंट के किसी को भी गिरफ्तार करने का अधिकार देता है। इसके अलावा, किसी की गोली मारकर हत्या कर देने पर यह कानून सुरक्षा बलों को गिरफ्तारी और मुकदमे से छूट देता है। असम को नवंबर, 1990 में AFSPA के तहत अशांत क्षेत्र घोषित किया गया था। तभी से इसे हर छह महीने में बढ़ाया जाता रहा है। मुख्यमंत्री सरमा सोमवार को कमांडेंट…

[carminavulcana]

I have no idea what the revocation of articles 370 and 35-A will mean. But I am uncomfortable and scared. There can be no forced integration and true integration cannot happen without justice.

Are the thousands of human rights complaints in Kashmir finally going to be investigated?

Will the perpetrators of Kunan Pushpora be booked for their crimes?

Will AFSPA be removed ?

Will the half-widows of J&K finally know what became of their husbands?

Will the young people of Kashmir be treated like our own or will every incident like Pulwama trigger violence against them like it happened in February?

These are the difficult questions. Do they have answers?

[jasooskutty]

A Malayalee Hindu’s Confession on Citizenship Bill

The Citizenship Amendment Bill is now law. Many of my colleagues on twitter say they feel sad, scared, angry, disappointed. I feel no such emotion.

And why should I? It doesn’t affect me. I am a Hindu. I don't know why Muslims are upset. They are not losing citizenship or anything.

And these protests in the Northeast! To be honest, where is the Northeast? It seems somewhere back of the beyond. I have never been there. I don’t see the region becoming a job hub in the foreseeable future. If and when I go, it will be as a tourist. I will click a few photos to keep at home, a reminder of a good trip.

To be honest I don’t know how many states are there in the Northeast. That would be an exaggeration, there are Seven Sisters. Is Sikkim one of the sisters or a distant cousin or neither? I don’t know.

I learnt the capitals of the seven states to score marks in GK. That done, I readily forgot them the moment I passed out.    

I mean who cares about the Northeast? If it wasn’t for the blank cheque, err passport, for illegal Hindu immigrants and a babaji ka thullu, isn’t that what Kapil Sharma says, for illegal Muslim immigrants, we wouldn’t be wasting any airtime or ink on the Northeast.

You don’t believe me?

Manipur was blockaded for nearly 5 months - that is almost half the year - a couple of years ago. Did anyone notice it? Did anyone cover the news?

Irom Sharmila, a resident of Manipur, was on a hunger strike for 16 years demanding removal of AFSPA. Hardly anyone noticed. AFSPA is still in force in Manipur. Irom just gave up her fight and got married. Her wedding made more headlines than the fast. BTW, she also lost an election somewhere in between. It would be wrong to say nothing fruitful came out of Irom’s hunger strike. A few people wrote her biographies and she got the title ‘Iron Lady’.

This is how much we Indians care for the Northeast.

I don’t know much about CAB, but what I know is it was in the BJP’s manifesto and the party swept the Northeast. It means the people of the region want the law, right? I may be wrong, but I have already admitted I give a damn about the place.

That is not to say I am a heartless soul. I have deep affection for people and things Northeastern. Just like I relish Hyderabadi biryani and mutton kababs, I like momos and red chutney. They are good touchings for rum. Not to speak of the people. They make for wonderful drinking buddies.

Now you know why I don’t feel sad, scared, angry or disappointed over the citizenship bill.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mastered one trick. Us versus them. And this ‘us’ is always a lot more significant in numbers than the ‘them’.

At some point, the party’s gaze will turn to Kerala. It fits the bill. Small state. Sizeable Muslim population. Just 20 Lok Sabha seats which the party anyway doesn’t win. It could come in the form of a countrywide beef ban for example. Us versus them.

That is when I will feel sad, scared, angry, disappointed.

[meetdheeraj]

Kashmir was never a federal state like others. It was and continuous to be a military occupation (with increased troops now, one gunman to 10 civilians). Now it has lost even the facade of being an independent state. And we are told Kashmiris are real people. If they are real people like mainland Indians, why does military occupy civilian spaces there? When are we scrapping AFSPA? You have numbers now. You can do anything. Democracy, those who have read would know isn't about numbers but doing what is right even if in the eyes of majority it is wrong. It is about morality.

Yesterday we went back on a constitutional promise. A promise made by none other than Sardar Patel. The meeting on Article 370 was held at his residence. Minister without portfolio Diwan Bahadur Sir Narasimha Ayyangar Gopalaswami Ayyangar sent his notes from this meeting to Sardar Patel saying Nehru will issue the letter to Sheikh Abdullah of Kashmir only after his approval. And Patel did send his approval. Yes, the same Sardar on whose statue we spent 3000 crores on.

What's stopping the authoritarian state from removing AFSPA if they consider Kashmir as just another state and Kashmiris like any mainland citizens? The majoritarian state has already made people in Assam prove their citizenship by piece of paper as old as 48 years (You have to prove that your ancestors entered India before March 24, 1971 and even that's not enough; it is just one of the many conditions). They've already excluded Christians and Muslims from citizenship bill. They have passed law that makes possible declaring individual as terrorists. They have passed bill that gives extra powers to NIA undermining federalism. All these without proper discussion and without sending these bills to standing committees. These committees exist to ensure all possible scenarios are thought through, that laws are made on data and facts and not mere conviction. We saw what happened with demonetisation. In democracy state isn't supposed to act in secrecy. Remember, citizens chose their government. We are the masters not subjects.Make no mistake, like in Emergency, everything yesterday and before was done legally. State leaders were arrested, communication lines were cut. And our tv channels repeated Amit Shah's lines that Kashmiris were happy. With internet shut down, cable pulled off, there was just no way Kashmiris even knew what had just occurred. But we were told they were happy and we believed because it went with our biases. Hurray! Nobody is interested to know what Kashmiris want. We never asked them or cared to know how it feels to live under perennial military occupation. How many of us fear going to a police station or even when a policeman is near us? Imagine living under the constant shadow of gunmen. A state was declared union territory without consent of the state. A state was bifurcated without its consent. And we are celebrating this? It looks like we have come to a point where we will celebrate anything that comes from this govt and TV screens (which again are copy of what this govt says). We have left our brains in freezers, we no more read, we no more think, we only parrot what state and its mouthpieces say. We find reasons to defend rapists now, reasons to defend people who take out rallies for rapists, we tell ourselves rape is impossible to have happened inside a temple because well, we want to believe it and a news anchor is telling us so, despite all the evidence proving otherwise. We've closed our minds. Stopped thinking. Conscience, forget it, is long dead anyway. 

[snbc]

Times Top10: Today's Top News Headlines and Latest News from India & across the World

Times Top10: Today’s Top News Headlines and Latest News from India & across the World

5 THINGS FIRST NTAGI meeting to discuss reducing gap between 2nd and precaution dose; President Kovind and home minister Amit Shah to meet lawyers of post-poll Bengal violence victims; Sentencing of tennis star Boris Becker, after guilty verdict on bankruptcy charges; Delhi HC to hear Umar Khalid’s plea challenging denial of bail; IPL 2022 – PBKS Vs LSG 1. Why Centre wants to remove AFSPA from…

[sachkiawaaj]

PM Modi in Assam: Praises double-engine sarkar, hails AFSPA removal from parts of Northeast - key points

PM Modi in Assam: Praises double-engine sarkar, hails AFSPA removal from parts of Northeast – key points

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Assam today (April 28) and along with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, he attended the ‘Peace, Unity and Development Rally’ at Diphu, Karbi Anglong district in Assam. Here are the key highlights from Modi’s Assam speech: – Last year, several organizations from Karbi Anglong joined the resolve for peace and development. Bodo Accord opened new doors…

[thedailyexcelsior]

Army wants AFSPA removal from J&K once normalcy returns: Rajnath Singh

Army wants AFSPA removal from J&K once normalcy returns: Rajnath Singh

The Indian Army wants the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir to become completely normal so that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act can be removed from the region, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday.