Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 01:
Endorsing the cause of the Manipuri people who are demanding removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, many prominent speakers have raised serious concern over prolonged imposition of the Act giving unrestrained powers to the security forces and vowed to exert pressure on the Government for lifting the Act at their level best.
The event was the one-day 'Convention on AFSPA-Democracy and Rights' which was organised as part of the movement being launched by Yuva Bharat against the Act at Deputy Speaker Hall also known as Constitution Club, Rafi Marg, New Delhi on January 30.The president of Jagriti Mahila Samiti Nirmala Sharma presided over the event attended by four representatives of the Working Committee of the Apunba Lup, namely Phulendra Konsam, Aslam Khan, Dayananda Chingtham and Laishram Bablu as chief guests.
Ex-MP Kuldip Nayar, secretary of Servants People Society Satyapal Grover and senior journalist Anand Kumar were also present at the occasion as guests of honour.
The four representatives of the Lup gave a detailed accounts of the atrocities being committed on the innocent people of Manipur by the security forces with impunity granted under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 and observed that removal of the dreaded Act would only enhance the image of India which claims itself as the biggest democracy in the work in front of the International community.
Editor of Yuva Samajwadi Dr Rakesh Rafique, JNU professors namely Manoranjan Mohanty, Anand Kumar and Anwar Pasha, IIT professors namely Ashok Sharma and Bipin Kumar Tripathy, Prof OK Yadav, Anil Choudhury, Ram Chandra Rahi, Dr Meenakshi, Satya Prakash and others who spoke at the convention expressed serious concern over prolonged imposition of Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the North Eastern States including Manipur and resolved to work at the level best in exerting pressures on the Government of India for lifting the Act so that Manipuri people could live in peace and without any fear.
Gautam Naolkha from Mumbai who had visited Manipur at the height of the people's agitation for removal of AFSPA, succinctly observed that the Assam Rifles personnel who insisted on going to Guwahati for giving their statement to the Inquiry Commission instead of doing so at the office of the Commission located just 100 metres away from their camp following alleged threat from underground activists, would not be able to provide security to the people at all.
In her presidential address, Nirmala Sharma said that Manipuri people are peace loving and they could never be a challenge to the National security.
India Government is solely responsible for the problem of insurgency existing in Manipur.