Amit Shah holds late night conclave with Naga leaders, Himanta
Source: Nirendra Dev *
New Delhi, December 25 2021:
The ball is perhaps now in the court of powerful duo Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
A late night crucial meeting was held between Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Ministers of Assam and Nagaland Himanta Biswa Sarma and Neiphiu Rio respectively on Dec 23 .
Even as Nagaland Assembly has passed an official resolution demanding repeal of AFSPA, as of now Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and NNPGs of Naga groups insist only peace and solution can end all controversies pertaining to AFSPA.
Assam Chief Minister Sarma for his part, said AFSPA will continue in his state.
The argument being the withdrawal of AFSPA cannot be a call of the government alone.
It has to depend on the overall situation, law and order situation of the state.
"Now suppose I withdraw, will that be reciprocated by the militant organisations?," he said in Guwahati a few days back.
Sources close to the NNPGs, an umbrella of 7 militant groups, have said only a Final peace pact can bring a 'natural end' to all controversies pertaining to AFSPA and deployment of security forces in Nagaland and other Naga inhabited areas.
BJP floor leader in Nagaland and Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton and a former Chief Minister T R Zeliang
were also present in the Dec 23 late night meeting with Shah.
The deliberations were vital as these took place days after the Nagaland assembly adopted a resolution for repeal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) .
The summoning of the leaders from Nagaland especially on the eve of Christmas and their arrival in the capital along with Assam Chief Minister and NEDA convener Himanta Biswa Sarma signified that talks were sensitive and essential.
The meeting between Mr Shah and the northeastern leaders took place within hours India's Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla on a two-day visit to Myanmar raised matters relating to India's security with Myanmar military rulers especially in the light of the "recent incident in Churachandpur" district in southern Manipur.
The ambush on Nov 13 claimed the lives of Col Viplab Tripathi, his wife and nine year old boy and four jawans.
Subsequently, the killing of Naga civilians by security forces in Mon district in a botched up anti insurgency operation has now led to demand for the withdrawal of the AFSPA from Nagaland.
"Entire Naga society has been calling for repeal of AFSPA and that voice is at its loudest today," said Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio while piloting forcefully an official resolution seeking immediate repeal of the controversial law that gives some impunity to armed forces.
A part of the 'Made in India' vaccines handed over to the Myanmar Red Cross Society on Wednesday
by the Foreign Secretary are meant to be "utilized for communities living along Myanmar's border with India" .
Needless to add, a large number of Naga ethnic groups reside along the India-Myanmar border.
The first assault by security forces on December 4 was due to 'mistaken identity' as there were inputs of movement of insurgents from a militant group known to be based out of Myanmar.
There was suspicion of the movement of NSCN (KY) which generally has a base in Myanmar.
Recently, RSS leader Indresh Kumar told reporters that even in Kashmir the deployment of forces were automatically minimised once the situation improved and the Art 370 was abrogated.
* The sender of this news can be contacted at nirendev1(AT)gmail(DOT)com .