The central government has announced that it would extend the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act or AFSPA for six months in in 12 districts of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, and some areas of five other districts of the two northeastern states to facilitate the armed forces to continue the anti-insurgency operations, reports IANS.
The AFSPA extension would be implemented in districts including – Tirap, Changlang and Longding and also in areas falling within the jurisdiction of Namsai & Mahadevpur police station in Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh.
In Nagaland the AFSPA extension would be in nine districts that include – Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Zunheboto – as well as 16 police stations in four other districts including – Kohima, Mokokchung, Longleng and Wokha. Nagaland has 16 districts while Arunachal Pradesh has 26 districts.
The extension of AFSPA powers would mean that these territories would be termed a ‘disturbed area’ and the six-month extension would take effect from today unless withdrawn earlier.
The announcement comes after the Union Home Minister Amit Shah had on March 31 said that the centre would try and reduce AFSPA operations from April 1 in parts of Assam, Nagaland and Manipur. The announcement was made amid an outcry by most political parties and NGOs who have been demanding the complete repealing of AFSPA.
Almost all Chief Ministers of the northeastern states and most political parties had welcomed the Home Ministry’s announcement to reduce the disturbed areas under the AFSPA in the Northeast.
AFSPA allows the Army and other central para-military forces to conduct raids, operations, arrest anyone anywhere without prior notice or arrest warrant. It has been in force in Nagaland, Assam, Manipur barring the Imphal municipal council area and certain districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
The reduction of jurisdiction of AFSPA in certain northeastern states came in April 1 following the recommendation of a high-level committee constituted to examine the possibility of lifting of the AFSPA after the killing of 14 civilians in Nagaland. AFSPA was entirely lifted in Tripura in 2015, in Meghalaya in 2018, and in Mizoram in 1980s.
(With inputs from IANS)
Read all the Latest News India and Breaking News here
Comments
0 comment