Congress in its manifesto proposes to amend or review AFSPA but not to withdraw it.

• Akhil Reddy

A post is being shared on Facebook by many users claiming that Congress promised in its manifesto, to withdraw AFSPA and reduce army presence if voted to power. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.

The archived version of the post can be found here.

Claim: Congress Manifesto: “Will withdraw the AFSPA, reduce army presence if voted”.

Fact: The Congress Manifesto promises to amend or review the AFSPA, not withdraw it. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.

The Congress Manifesto can be found on its official website. When looked for the promises on AFSPA in its manifesto, it can be found that AFSPA has been mentioned twice in the manifesto. First, AFSPA has been mentioned in the ‘Review of Laws, Rules and Regulations’ section, where the Congress promises to amend the AFSPA, 1958 so that proper balance can be brought between the powers of security forces and the human rights of citizens and also, to remove immunity for enforced disappearance, sexual violence and torture.

Second, it has been mentioned in the ‘Jammu and Kashmir’ section, where the Congress promises to review the AFSPA in J&K. In the same section, Congress promises to move more troops to the border to stop infiltration, reduce the presence of Army and Central Armed Police Forces in the Kashmir Valley and entrust more responsibility to the J&K police for maintaining law and order.

Finally, Congress in its manifesto proposes to amend or review AFSPA but not to withdraw it.