AFSPA on Congress Manifesto: Why the CM seems nervous?
- Imphal Times Editorial :: April 05 2019 -

On the inclusion of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) issue on the election manifesto of the Congress Party, here in the state of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh seem to be nervous.

Instead of following to what the BJP leader Nirmal Sitharam, the Union Defence Minister of the country, Chief Minister N. Biren simply criticize the congress party for inclusion of the AFSPA issue in their Manifesto.

He even said that the inclusion of the issue of AFSPA by the Congress Party is nothing but befool the public.

He had even stated that during sixty years of their rule there have been numerous cases of security forces murdering innocents, incidents, of crimes against women.

If one ponder on what N. Biren Singh had expressed regarding the inclusion of AFSPA issue in the Manifesto by Congress party – it is nothing but a statement of a nervous leader.

Every Manipuri remember Operation Blue Bird, Loktak Operation etc.., family of over 1528 victims of fake encounter still fill their eyes with tears.

If this is the case the Chief Minister of Manipur , who is a one time champion of Human Rights, before joining to politics should include a better option like AFSPA will be repeal if BJP come to power as what the Congress had stated about AFSPA was about reviewing it.

Everybody knows this could never be possible , as BJP leader Nirmala Sitharam , the Union Defence Minister, had already slammed the congress for inclusion of the AFSPA issue in their manifesto terming it as an aim to weaken the armed forces.

Perhaps for the first time in the history of parliamentary election of the country the Indian National Congress (INC) in its manifesto promises for amendment of the draconian act Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the disturbed area act.

This is something that arouses the people of the country living in North Eastern part of India and at Jammu and Kashmir as many innocent has been killed and many are left live in fear and anguish under the shadow of the draconian act.

Leave aside other states which the AFSPA has been imposed, many mass protests for repealed of the draconian act had been witnessed in the state.

The onetime Irom Chanu Sharmila, which seems to be forgotten by the people had underwent 16 years of fast-unto death protest – the longest fast protest in the history of mankind. Victims’ families of extra judicial killing by the armed forces under the shadow of the draconian AFSPA still cry for justice with their eyes still wet with tears.

It is indeed a change seen in the Congress Party if it really concern about the draconian side of the AFSPA.

The Congress before 2014 seems to be a different Political Party in 2019.

The new president Rahul Gandhi is also seen changed in his performance.

As per the new ideology of the party under the new leadership seem to have understood that India is a nation of various communities having diverse culture, traditions, religion and which followed different ideologies and speaks different languages.

It is the exceptional beauty of India.