Srinagar, June 12: Jammu and Kashmir Health and Education Minister Sakina Itoo on Friday called for the revocation of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from the Union Territory, arguing that if the Centre believes the security situation has improved elsewhere, the same principle should apply to Jammu and Kashmir.
Her remarks come a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that AFSPA would be withdrawn from the entire Northeast next year, except for one or two states. Speaking after the signing of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Centre, Assam and Nagaland on mineral oil operations in the Assam-Nagaland boundary areas, Shah said the shrinking footprint of AFSPA in the region was a reflection of improved peace and stability.
Reacting to the development, Itoo said Jammu and Kashmir too deserves similar consideration if the government maintains that the situation on the ground has improved.
“If it is better, then it should be removed from here too. If they say that the situation has improved, now there is nothing here. Now there are no stones, nothing is happening. After that, I think it should be removed from here first,” Itoo told reporters.
The minister also reiterated the demand for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, saying the elected government has consistently raised the issue with the Centre.
“We have been trying for two years. Our Chief Minister has raised this demand many times. We are not asking for anything new—statehood was already there. We hope it will be returned,” she said.
On the education front, Itoo expressed concern over the deployment of teachers for Census-related duties, saying it was affecting academic activities in schools.
She said more than 14,000 teachers have been assigned Census work, leading to disruptions in classroom teaching and examinations during the ongoing academic session.
“We have written many times. We will continue to take up the matter so that children’s studies do not suffer,” she added.
