Anti-AFSPA crusade goes on : NE students protest at Jantar Mantar
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 20 2014:
A large number of activists and students from North-East staged a protest at Jantar Mantar, Delhi today demanding repeal of AFSPA.
The protesters also demanded a debate on the Act in the Lok Sabha in the ongoing winter session.
A large number of students, individuals and activists from North-East under the auspices of North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) gathered at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, to demonstrate against the continued enforcement of the draconian legislation, Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), according to a statement issued by NEFIS.
The activists who took part in the protest spoke of the unconstitutional nature of the legislation and how it has been used to suppress the democratic aspirations of the people across the country.
At the protest, NEFIS representative, Chinglen Khu-mukcham argued that the legislation's enforcement across various States in the country and the unwillingness of successive Governments to initiate a debate on the floor of the house on AFSPA's were indicative of the fact that in reality the Indian state readily uses a large section of its armed forces to suppress the voice of its own citizens rather than foreign infiltrators.
As the protest persisted, a delegation went to submit a memorandum to the office of the Speaker (Lok Sabha), demanding an immediate debate on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act before the winter session comes to an end on Dec 22, according to the press statement.
The gathering vowed that even if the Speaker's Office failed to intervene in the matter and help initiate the much-required debate in the Lok Sabha, the struggle for the repeal of this draconian, undemocratic law will go on across the country.
It was decided that Delhi will be used as a centre of the campaign and struggles against AFSPA and will be continuously coordinated across affected States as well as in other parts of the country where the campaign will conscientiously reach out to the youth.