NDA adopting double standard on AFSPA & Disturbed Areas Act: Priyanka Chaturvedi

Odisha congress manifesto release

AICC Spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi today slammed the NDA government for its double standard on the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and the Disturbed Areas Act.

Describing the BJP as “hypocrite and shameless” Priyanka said the NDA government has itself withdrawn AFSA in three districts of Arunachal Pradesh but criticizing the Congress manifesto for promising to review the Acts.

The Congress leader, who was here to brief about the Congress manifesto , said the party has never said it would withdraw the Armed Forces Special Provision Act (AFSPA) as being alleged by BJP but maintained that it will have a dialogue over the issue and then take a decision.

She said the BJP while forming the government in Jammu and Kashmir had signed an agreement with PDP to withdraw the AFSA. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had said that the armed forces will be held accountable for shooting innocent people.

Coming heavily on the Congress, the BJP had stated that withdrawal the AFSPA and the Disturbed Areas Act would be a dangerous move and it would demoralise the Armed forces.

She said terrorist activities in the country has increased by 250 per cent during the last five years.

Ms Chaturvedi said never in the history of India, a Prime Minister has ever visited an enemy country uninvited, danced with them and had Biriyani.

Soon after his visit the terrorists attacked the Pathankot Air Force Station, in January 2016 and after the attack ISI, the Pakistan intelligence wing was invited to inquire into it.

Ms Chaturvedi described the Pulwama attack as the biggest intelligence failure .

The Congress leader said the Kargil war, coffin scam, operation Parakram and the attack on Parliament happened during the rule of Prime Minister A B Vajpayee.

As many 1800 soldiers were killed as the government deployed the defence personnel at the Indo -Pak border without any planning.

She said National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had secret meetings with the ISI chief at Bangkok but now the BJP is teaching nationalism to us, she said. (UNI)