Examiner Bureau | Srinagar:
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 in the Northeast, a similar approach should be adopted for Jammu and Kashmir.
Her remarks came a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that AFSPA would be withdrawn from the entire Northeast next year, barring one or two states. Speaking after the signing of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Centre and the governments of Assam and Nagaland on mineral oil operations in boundary areas, Shah said the shrinking footprint of AFSPA reflected growing peace and stability in the region.
Reacting to the announcement, Itoo said Jammu and Kashmir should also receive similar consideration if the government maintains that the security situation has improved.
“If the situation is better, then AFSPA should be removed from here too. If they say there is peace and nothing is happening now, then I think it should be removed from Jammu and Kashmir first,” Itoo told reporters.
The minister also reiterated the demand for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, stating that the elected government has consistently raised the issue with the Centre.
“We have been pursuing this demand for the last two years. Our Chief Minister has raised it on several occasions. We are not asking for anything new—statehood already existed, and we hope it will be restored,” she said.
On the education front, Itoo expressed concern over the deployment of teachers for Census-related duties, saying the move was adversely 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 to the authorities multiple times and will continue to take up the matter so that children’s education does not suffer,” she added.
