Army not needed in residential and urban areas: Ram Jethmalani

Noted jurist and senior BJP leader Ram Jethmalani today termed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) as an "evil" law saying the army was not needed in residential and urban areas.

"AFSPA is basically an evil act and can only be justified by a grave necessity. I believe the conditions can be created in which the act should go," Jethmalani told reporters at the conclusion of five-day visit of Kashmir Committee headed by him.

The former law minister during the Atal Behari Vajpayee-led NDA government at Centre said the presence of army was necessary for security and to prevent infiltration of militants from across the Line of Control.

"You don't have to post them in residential and urban areas. Put them at some place near the border where they can stop infiltration," he said.

Jethmalani said everything was possible with cooperation and goodwill.

The Jethmalani-led committee was formed during the Prime Ministership of AB Vajpayee in 2002 to open a channel of dialogue mainly with senior separatist leaders in Jammu and Kashmir. Apart from Jethmalani, other members of the panel are senior counsel Shanti Bhushan, academic and editor Madhu Keshwar and journalist M J Akbar.