Srinagar: Noted jurist and senior BJP
leader Ram Jethmalani today termed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) as an "evil" law saying the army was not needed in residential and urban areas.
"AFSPA is basically an evil act and can only be
justified by a grave necessity. I believe the conditions can
be created in which the act should go," Jethmalani told reporters at the conclusion of five-day visit of Kashmir Committee headed by him.
The former Law Minister during the Atal Behari
Vajpayee-led NDA government at Centre said the presence of
army was necessary for security and to prevent the
infiltration of militants from across the Line of Control.
"You don`t have to post them in residential and urban
areas. Put them at some place near the border where they can
stop infiltration," he said.
Jethmalani said everything was possible with cooperation and goodwill.
The Jethmalani-led committee was formed during the
Prime Ministership of A B Vajpayee in 2002 to open a channel
of dialogue mainly with senior separatist leaders in Jammu and
Kashmir. Apart from Jethmalani, other members of the panel are
senior counsel Shanti Bhushan, academic and editor Madhu
Keshwar and journalist M J Akbar.
PTI
