In the wake of recent militant attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday said the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act can only be revoked or withdrawn the day terrorism in the state is over.
"The AFSPA can only be revoked or withdrawn the day terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is over. The army is doing is a splendid job of it and nothing should come in the army's way of counter offensive against this evil," BJP leader M.J. Akbar told ANI.
Earlier in the day, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi.
The meetings took place a day after the state government said it would work towards a phased withdrawal of the AFSPA from areas that have been free from militancy for some time.
The opposition has cautioned the PDP-BJP regime to not withdraw the AFSPA as it could prove to be a recipe for 'political and human disaster'.
National Conference leader and former chief minister Omar Abdullah said in a tweet that Sayeed had gone to New Delhi to assuage the concerns of the Prime Minister and Home Minister on the AFSPA revocation move.
Rajnath Singh had last month said this was not the right time for withdrawing the AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir.