'Ghost Bombs & AFSPA '
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: December 02, 2014 -

Bomb blast on the eve of the recent visit of Indian Prime Minister to Manipur and consequent killing of an 11-year old boy, that too at a place between an Assam Rifles post and a Police Station in Thoubal district, is a highly suspicious and condemnable act.

Whoever be the individual or group who planted it, the terrible act seemed to have a motive to depict Manipur in the eyes of the Prime Minister as a terror-infested state.

There is also apprehension that the tragic blast could have been related to the extension of Disturbed Area Status in Manipur and continuation of the much-talk about Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 which has long been protested by the aggrieved general public in Manipur.

There are people who desire to continue the AFSPA in the state, as there are also others who wish to end the hegemony of the security forces in the name of enforcing the so-called draconian statute.

Those who like repeal of AFSPA are the peace-lovers who hate terrorism, while those who wish to continue AFSPA are crime-mongers who kill and injure the civilians through devising heinous felonies.

As such, a number of bomb blast incidents have happened in Manipur without any claim of responsibility by any individual or group.

Numerous criminal acts affecting civil population have still remained as unanswered riddles in Manipur polity.

It is not established that all bomb blasts, firings, grenade hurling etc are done solely by insurgents.

There may also be others, either in organised manner or in individual capacities, who try to disturb peace in the society by way of indulging in highly inhumane acts.

It is the usual practice of various non-state actors to claim responsibility through the media, if any of them is involved in any act which harms the public.

However, this time no insurgent group has claimed responsibility for the bomb blast on the eve of Modi’s visit to Manipur.

Then suspicion is ripe that certain individuals or groups which wanted to portray Manipur as an insurgency-prone state or a terrorism-infested land, could have orchestrated the bomb blast in vested their interest.

As long as ‘Ghost Bombs’ continue to haunt this peace loving land, the question of repealing AFSPA can hardly appeal to the minds of lawmakers.