Repeal AFSPA call
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 26 2018:
With the removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from Meghalaya and 8 police stations out of 16 in Arunachal Pradesh, Dr Suresh Centre for Foreign Studies and Placement has opined that it is time for Chief Minister N Biren Singh to repeal the Act from the entire State.
A press release issued by the Managing Director of the centre, Dr Th Suresh Singh (ex-Director of Health Services, Manipur) informed that with Tripura already free from AFSPA since 2015 and now Meghalaya, the Act is now enforced only in Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and parts of Arunachal Pradesh.
The law and order situation in Manipur is improving for the last five years or so and the Act has already been removed from seven Assembly segments of greater Imphal area since August 2004 .
Pointing out that the Act was enforced in the State by the previous State Government and not by the Centre, it claimed that the same is continued by the present BJP State Government.
It also pointed out that removing AFSPA was in the manifesto of the BJP during the last Assembly election and as such it is time for the Chief Minister and the State Government to remove the Act from the State without further delay.