Roshan Warjri meets Rajnath Singh, Kiren Rijiju
NEWDELHI: The Centre has reiterated its decision not to enforce Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 in Garo Hills even as the state (both in Khasi Hills and Garo Hills) on Monday witnessed series of protests against Meghalaya High Court’s suggestion to the Centre to consider the imposition of the army act to neutralise insurgent activities in Garo Hills.
The Centre, instead, will file a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his deputy Kiren Rijiju communicated the Centre’s decision to Meghalaya Home Minister Roshan Warjri when she called on the duo separately in Delhi on Monday.
Both the Central ministers even assured to take steps to send more Central para military forces to the Hill State to take on the militant groups active in Garo Hills.
Warjri presented a memorandum to both the Union ministers on the prevailing law and situation in the state particularly in Garo Hills .
The State Home Minister urged the Union Ministers not to impose AFSPA, which according to her, has failed to solve militancy problem anywhere in the country.
The Meghalaya High Court had made a case for imposition of AFSPA in Garo Hills citing worsening law and order situation. She also submitted a letter written Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on the current situation to Singh.
The Chief Minister is planning to meet Union Home Minister shortly.
Earlier, a high level meeting chaired by the Chief Minister in Shillong had decided to knock the door of Delhi to get more central para-military forces to contain the law and order situation in Garo Hills.
The high level meeting also attended by the state government officials including police personnel were also against any move to impose AFSPA in Garo Hills.
As the case is pending with the full Bench of the High Court of Meghalaya after the November 2 order favouring imposition of AFSPA in Garo Hills, the state Home Department has decided to file an affidavit in the High Court during the next hearing on November 18.