Cabinet to review disturbed area status
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 03 2019: A Cabinet meeting scheduled tomorrow at Ukhrul district headquarters will review the disturbed areas status tagged to the State and take a decision on whether the infamous AFSPA 1958 is still needed or not.

In line with Chief Minister N Biren's idea of holding Cabinet meetings at different district headquarters instead of restricting the crucial meetings at the State capital alone, a Cabinet meeting will be held at Ukhrul district headquarters tomorrow.

The Cabinet meeting scheduled tomorrow would be the first after the Lok Sabha elections and the State Government has already listed around 30 agenda.

Disturbed area status tagged to the State since many decades back is one of the foremost agenda listed for the Cabinet meeting, informed a source.

Notably, disturbed area status is a prerequisite for imposition of AFSPA 1958.For the first time, the whole State of Manipur was declared a disturbed area thereby invoking the infamous AFSPA immediately in 1980.Even though disturbed area status is reviewed every six months, it is being extended regularly without any interruption.

Disturbed area status is extended by the State Cabinet every six months after studying law and order reports furnished by Central paramilitary forces.

State forces and other security agencies.

The latest extension of disturbed area status expired on May 30.As such, the State Cabinet is required to take a decision on the disturbed area status at its sitting scheduled tomorrow, said the source.

Whereas the State Government particularly the Chief Minister has been claiming every now and then the State's law and order situation has improved, reports furnished by security agencies, ironically, recommend continued imposition of the notorious AFSPA.

AFSPA was lifted from seven Assembly segments covered by Imphal Municipal areas in 2004 by the then State Government led by Okram Ibobi under intense pressure from the public and some of his Ministers after the lifeless and battered body of Th Manorama was discovered following her arrest by Assam Rifles personnel the previous evening.

Chief Minister N Biren who was then a Cabinet Minister in Ibobi's Council of Ministers, K Ranjit, some Congress MLAs and CPI MLAs who were part of the Government even threatened to resign from the Government if AFSPA was not lifted.

Subsequently, the notorious Act was lifted from Yaiskul, Wangkhei, Thangmeiband, Sagolband, Kei-shamthong, Uripok and Singjamei Assembly segments.

Moreover, Irom Sharmila fasted for 14 long years demanding repeal of AFSPA.

Another agenda listed for tomorrow's Cabinet meeting is extension of VDF personnel's engagement period by another one year.

At present, around 10,448 VDF personnel are assisting police in nine districts in policing activities.

They were recruited in two phases in 2009 and 2011 and they are given monthly remuneration of Rs 7730 which includes ration money.

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