Army not misusing AFSPA: Lt Gen KT Parnaik

Udhampur: Insisting that the revocation of AFSPA might put at stake the “fragile” peace existing in Jammu and Kashmir, Army today said it has given advice to the Centre on the issue and it was for the government to take a call. “It is a measured Act. AFSPA protects our officers and jawans who are faced with unusual situation,” General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt General KT Parnaik, told reporters on the occasion of 42nd Raising Day of the Northern Command.[caption id=“attachment_878323” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Lt Gen KT Parnaik. Image courtesy PiB[/caption] He said the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) divests huge powers in the Army, but the Indian forces have never misused it. “The Army might have got increased powers under the Act, but the ethos of the Army and the drill which we go through train us to have restrain on ourselves. So, to say AFSPA has been misused would not be right. The Army has always used AFSPA in the right way,” the General said. “With the use of AFSPA, the situation has remained peaceful for over last couple of years. If AFSPA would have been so draconian, the situation would not have become so peaceful,” he said. The General said the existing situation in the state may change if breathing space is provided to militants. “We need to consolidate our position. The peace which you see, as I had mentioned earlier, is very fragile. It might get disrupted with a couple of triggers from the militants. So, we need to control the situation,” he said. On partial revocation of the Act, Parnaik, who is going to retire at the end of this month, said there was a possibility that militants might use it to their advantage. PTI