IMPHAL, February 22: With the speculations of forming of government in J&K in coming days through PDP-BJP collaboration, Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign (SSSC) has appealed leadership of the two parties to take AFSPA repeal demand on a serious note and on priority.
`We, at SSSC believe that though collaboration may be an effort to provide stability of political situation in J&K, the real objective of government formation, that is respecting people`s mandate can be only done though Repeal of AFSPA as a top priority,` said a release of SSSC.
`We see that joining hands of PDP and BJP was on hold due to few reasons and one of these includes AFSPA also, whereas at individual level, Repeal AFSPA can be not only beneficial for PDP but can also justify this collaboration that is being criticised by many. It is an opportunity for BJP also to respect rights of people,` it further said.
On other side, BJP state leadership in Manipur had already promised to repeal AFSPA before parliamentary election but till now, nothing such action has been taken, it said.
Now, in J&K again, PDP and BJP again show that they negotiated and now agreed to have discussion of phase wise withdrawal of AFSPA, it continued.
`We, at SSSC see that this negotiation must not be only `show off` and to pretend before people that parties care about them, instead there must be unconditioned phase withdrawal of AFSPA as a reality on ground,` it said.
People of J&K are suffering from serious human rights violations, AFSPA has recorded as one of worst acts of India and even many proved cases of fake and cold blooded killings, rapes and impunity counted under AFSPA have come before media, civil society, state and judiciary. But till now, the act is surviving. All the efforts of raising demands to its repeal have been failed till now before the rigidity of state, it said.
SSSC has appealed to these parties to start their day with repeal of AFSPA. It has also appealed to people of J&K and leaders and civil society activists of state to come forward to pressurise these political leaders.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/repealing-afspa-must-be-on-priority-of-pdpbjp-collaboration-sssc/