Guwahati: Meghalaya CM Conrad K. Sangma has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for removing the AFSPA from numerous regions of Northeast India.
Sangma further hoped Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) will soon be removed from all parts of the Northeast.
”In a recent decision, AFSPA has been further withdrawn from many areas of North East India.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. We hope that soon this draconian act will be removed from all parts of North East India,” Sangma tweeted.
Centre lifted the AFSPA’s (Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 restrictions on “disturbed areas” in Assam, Nagaland and Manipur on March 25.
”A historic day for the Northeast! PM @narendramodi led GoI has once again decided to decrease the disturbed areas in Nagaland, Assam, and Manipur under the AFSPA. This decision has been taken on account of significant improvement in the security situation in North-East India,” Shah said in a series of tweets.
He added that the decision was made in light of the Northeastern region’s security situation having significantly improved.
”For the first time in India’s history PM @narendramodi Ji prioritized security, peace, and development in the North East. As a result of it, the region today is rapidly heading on the path of peace and development,” he added.
Previously in April 2022, AFSPA was repealed in a significant number of northeastern districts.
Assam has had a disturbed area notification system in place Since 1990. Since the security situation has improved, the disturbed area tag has been removed from all but nine districts and one subdivision of a district as of April 1 of last year.
Manipur’s whole state excluding the Imphal Municipality region was deemed a disturbed area in 2004 and has remained thus ever since.
At least 15 police station areas in six districts were exempt from the AFSPA’s reach as of April 1, 2022.
On the other hand, the law was repealed in 15 police station areas throughout seven districts in Nagaland on April 1, 2022 where it had been in place since 1995. However, after a recommendation of a government-appointed committee, AFSPA was removed from three other police station areas with effect from April 1, 2023.