Imphal, August 13: Close on the heels of partial lifting of disturb area status from some areas under the Imphal Municipal Council on a trial basis, Manipur People Party has today demanded the Govt to remove the Act from the other areas of the State within the shortest possible time.

Speaking to mediapersons at the MPP's office today, MPP president O Joy opined that the people are strongly against the imposition of AFSPA in the State and would like to see it scrapped off completely from the whole State as soon as possible.

If the Govt is apprehensive about scrapping the AFSPA completely from the State, it should not waste time but call call an Assembly session so that a definite decision could be taken for its complete removal from the State, added Joy.

By violating basic human rights and creating law and order problems through their rampant killing of innocent civilians in fake encounter, the security forces have reduced the citizens to second class citizens, asserted Joy adding that the Central leaders will never be able to suppress the ongoing public agitation with its military might or hurling baseless charges as hatred for the Act have become too deep rooted.

Referring to the deliberate refusal of the Assam Rifles officers and personnel to appear before ongoing Manorama Death judicial inquiry, a dissatisfied Joy opined that nothing positive is likely come out of the ongoing inquiry.

Dr Nimaichand Luwang who also spoke at the meeting questioned the State Govt's motives behind the partial lifting of AFSPA from the State and added that the Govt should not have made the people to agitate for a month if it the act was to be lifted only in parts.

He also maintained that the State Govt's decision to lift the act in parts was done to save the skin of the two Ministers and six MLAs who had threatened to resign if the State Govt fails to lift the disturb area status within August 15 and added that the State Assembly has not been convened till today as the Govt know very well that it will not be handle the pressure of the Minister and MLAs for complete removal of AFSPA.

Senior citizens appeal: While lamenting that the ongoing agitation for the removal of AFSPA has been shown in poor light by the large scale destruction of public property, Senior Citizens for Society has appealed to the public to refrain from such destructive activities.

Former Minister L Lalit Singh, RV Minthing and senior advocate N Binoy Singh told reporters today that the destroying public properties were akin to destroying our own properties.

Calling on all political parties to avoid politicizing the people's agitation for political gains, they also appealed to the organizer of the movement not to involve young school going children in the agitation.

Referring to the people demand for removal of AFSPA, the senior citizens said that a memorandum would be submitted to the Central leaders very soon demanding for immediate removal of AFSPA from the State.

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