Army Chief V K Singh for AFSPA to stay

Chennai : Army Chief General V K Singh said on Saturday that the security forces needed safeguard of laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act ( AFSPA) to tackle any disturbed areas like Kashmir.

” I think the Government will take a correct decision on what is to be done about it,” Singh said, ahead of an all party delegation visit to Kashmir on Monday to assess the situation there and read the peoples’ mood about the existing law.

“You all know the Supreme Court has very clearly said that provisions of AFSPA are neither arbitrary nor against the Constitution,” he told reporters. “The AFSPA was an enabling provision, not arbitrary,” the army chief reminded about the Apex Court’s observation.

“We have told the Ministry of Defence whatever the Army has to say and the matter is under the consideration of the Government,” Singh said.

He said there have been many infiltration attempts in J & K in the last two months and did not rule out any subversive attempt being made from outside taking advantage of unrest in the Valley.

“It could be a coincidence that there has been more infiltration attempts since the unrest in Kashmir erupted. There can be some linkage. There can be some methods in Pakistan trying to exploit the situation,” Singh said to a question on the Kashmir situation.

The army chief was here to review the passing out parade at the Officers’ Training Academy.