NEW DELHI, July 26: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday said the issue of AFSPA comes under the Home Ministry and it needs to take a call on the matter. He said the Army was involved in security on the border and in counter-insurgency grid in the militancy-hit state.
Parrikar said “I think the Home Ministry needs to take a call on it. We only operate. As of now, we are operating only in the border and counter-insurgency grid. We do not operate in the normal sphere of the state’s law and order,”
He said that as far as Army is concerned, it has ensured that the border remains sealed and no infiltration bid is successful. “We are doing our job properly,” he said.
Mehbooba on Sunday asked the Centre to revoke AFSPA — the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act — on trial basis from selected areas and said a start has to be made from somewhere to improve the situation in the state and suggested revocation of AFSPA from some areas.
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