State repeals AFSPA from six districts
Withdrawal shows PM's deep consideration of NE states: Biren
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR
Imphal, March 31 2022:
Chief Minister N Biren Singh has announced the withdrawal of "Disturbed Area" status from areas under the jurisdiction 9 (nine) Police Stations of the state with effect from April 1, 2022 for a period of six months.
He made the announce ment to the media at his Secretariat office on Thursday.
The CM stated that with the BJP government completing 10 days of its second term, the state cabinet held a meeting on Thursday and resolved to withdraw the "Disturbed Area" status from areas under the jurisdiction of 9 police stations.
As such, Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 will no longer be in effect in the areas under the 9 police stations from Thursday midnight onwards.
The police stations from which "Disturbed Area" status had been withdrawn under Section-3 of AFSPA, 1958 are Sekmai, Lamsang, Patsoi, Lamlai, Irilbung, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching and Jiribam.
As of now, the "Disturbed Area" status had been withdrawn from 15 police stations including six withdrawn earlier i.e., Imphal, Lamphel, City Police, Singjamei, Porompat and Heingang.
Biren said that the withdrawal of Disturbed Area had been a long standing demand for the people of the state.
The state government had been informing the central leaders about the necessity of lifting the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 from state.
He continued: "The state government, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and support of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, had been working tirelessly to improve the law and order situation in the state.
With the financial assistance of the Central Government, the state had been able to persuade many underground organisations/ insurgent groups to surrender and join the mainstream.
"The withdrawal of Disturbed Area status had shown that the law and order situation of the state had considerably improved.
It also shows that PM Narenda Modi holds the northeastern states dearly," he said and appealed to the public to support the government's efforts for improving the law and order further across the state so that the Disturbed Area status could be lifted from remaining areas of the state.
The CM further expressed his gratitude to PM Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other central leaders for lifting the "Disturbed Area" status.
He also extended his gratitude to the people of Manipur, Civil Society Organisations, students and specially individuals like Irom Sharmila, who were at the forefront demanding withdrawal of AFSPA from the State.
Responding to questions on what action would be taken if security forces were found to have made arrests in the AFSPA-withdrawn areas without providing arrest memos, Biren evaded the question, stating that the state follows the Rule of Law in accordance with the Constitution and as such, it is a requisite to take action against anyone found violating the law.
Regarding the query on why AFSPA is not being revoked from the hill districts despite the demands for the same, the CM replied that AFSPA has not been completely withdrawn from the state.
As the border areas often faced highly sensitive situations and concerns of national security, AFSPA cannot be fully revoked.
Presently, the priority is to initiate and continue the peace talks with the various insurgent groups, he stated, while iterating that the state government, on its part, is pushing for complete withdrawal of the Act.
Biren then conveyed that the cabinet, during Thursday's meeting, has resolved to increase the coverage limit of CMHT to Rs 5 lakh from Rs 2 lakh, along with increasing the allocation of Start-Ups in the budget to Rs 100 crore from Rs 30 crore.
On suspension of the indefinite blockade imposed by Nagaland-based organisation SAPO on Thursday, the CM stated that Manipur government did not hold any talks with the organisation but SAPO withdrew the blockade after talks with other Nagaland-based organisations.
"Manipur will not give away its land just because a bandh has been imposed.
The present boundary issue is not an issue between the two state governments, but the people of the two states, " he said.
Power minister Thongam Biswajit, Education minister Yumnam Khemchand, Youth Affairs and Sports minister Govindas Konthoujam, Cooperation minister Nemcha Kipgen, Water Resources minister Awangbow Newmai and chief secretary Dr Rajesh Kumar were also present during the press conference among others.