By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 26: The state government and the pressure groups agree that the Armed Force (Special Powers) Act or AFSPA needs to be removed from the Northeast.
Union Home Minister, Amit Shah on Saturday said the Centre has further reduced the number of areas in Assam, Nagaland and Manipur that were declared disturbed due to an improvement in the security situation.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma welcomed the decision and hoped the AFSPA would be lifted from the entire region soon.
“In a recent decision, AFSPA has been further withdrawn from many areas of North East India. Would like to thank @narendramodi ji and @AmitShah ji,” he said in a tweet on Sunday.
He further said, “We hope that soon this draconian act will be removed from all parts of North East India.”
Meghalaya-based pressure groups affiliated with the North East Students’ Organisation have been demanding the removal of AFSPA from the entire region. “The AFSPA is disrespectful to the indigenous people of the Northeast. From our end, it is a clear message that it is time to remove the AFSPA,” KSU president Lambokstar Marngar said on Sunday.
He said instead of AFSPA, the Centre should implement the Inner-Line Permit (ILP), a pending demand, across the Northeast.
“The centre should understand that the Northeast is not bordering Pakistan or Kashmir and the ILP should be implemented immediately and the AFSPA removed from the region,” Marngar said.
