Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad Thursday defended his party's promise to review the AFSPA.Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "It is there for the last 70 years and will remain so for ever". Referring to the criticism of his party's promise to review AFSPA, the Congress leader said there are people who are taking "sadistic pleasure" because they have not seen its impact."AFSPA and disturbed area act are there in the state for the last 30 years which is very long time. The act remained in force in Punjab for 14 years and also at some other places in the country. "It is good for the country that we will review it. The security forces should enjoy full powers to eliminate militancy but at the same time we have to ensure that no human rights violation takes place," he told reporters.Noting that human rights violations do take place, he said,"As chief minister, I had myself witnessed and ordered digging of three graves. You are blaming only Army but I have caught 13 policemen who picked up three local daily wagers killed them and dubbed them as Pakistanis."
"Our Army, our security forces and our policemen are laying down their lives and we salute their sacrifice. The nation will always remain indebted to them. "However, if anyone picks up any civilian and kills him for promotion and rewards, I think he is against the humanity and any government, media and anyone from any religious background should not tolerate it,” he said.
He said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and will remain so, but there is a need to address the issue to bring peace to the region. "I think Article 370 is there for the last 70 years and it will stay," he said while releasing the party manifesto here.He said the Congress will nominate three interlocutors from the civil society and will also study the previous reports which are lying with the centre to find out an everlasting solution to the problem.Earlier Azad said, 'What is the reason that the situation had been cured by 2014, what is the reason that the situation from 2014 to the present has again become like 1900-91? If a person is responsible for this, then he is the Prime Minister of this country, Narendra Modi. "The Congress leader Azad also questioned the action being taken by the police and said, "I salute those who gave their lives to those who gave their life but there were some destroyers who killed unarmed people for their promotion and money. Used to.While addressing the rally on Tuesday, senior leader of the Congress Ghulam Nabi Azad had fiercely attacked PM Narendra Modi, he said that the PM is discriminating with the people of other parties in the country.Also said that Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a big leader who was a leader of the public, but Narendra Modi is the leader of the television. He said that today the country is going through the situation of dictatorship. (PTK)