16 Garo Hills MDCs oppose HC’s AFSPA suggestion
SHILLONG: The Centre and the State government are tightlipped regarding the High Court’s suggestion to enforce the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in trouble-torn Garo Hills.
When reporters tried to seek Chief Minister Mukul Sangma’s view on the issue on the sidelines of ITM programme at Mawphlang on Saturday, he refused to comment saying “It is not the right time to talk on negative things.”
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, who also attended ITM programme at Mawphlang, did not say much save “it is a negative news.”
MDCs’ opposition: Meanwhile, 16 MDCs of ruling alliance of GHADC – GHPA — have sought the intervention of Union minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on the High Court suggestion.
In a memorandum submitted to Rijiju, the MDC said that one of the major causes (of insurgency, in any region, has been socio- economic conditions that prevail in the area and they opined that “military action is not a viable solution”.
“The need of the hour is a multi-pronged approach where we have to take socio economic measures which would bring development to the region and ultimately lead to create employment opportunities for the youth of the region,” the MDCs said in the memorandum.
“We feel that imposition of AFSPA is not the way forward,” they said demanding scrapping of this ‘draconian act’.
Recently, the High Court of Meghalaya had asked Centre to consider enforcement of AFSPA in Garo Hills in view of the spate of kidnappings and killings in the region.