SDRAG presented a campaign T-Shirt to Mr. L.K Advani
- Save Democracy Repeal AFSPA Group -

New Delhi, 17 December 2011:

As part of the struggle for Save Democracy Repeal AFSPA in Delhi, a team members of the Save Democracy Repeal AFSPA Group (SDRAG) had presented a campaign T Shirt to the opposition leader of the Lok Shabha, and former Deputy Prime Minister of India, Mr. L.K Advani in his residence -30, Prithviraj Road,New Delhi on 16 December 2011 at 4.30 pm.

The campaign T-Shirt printed with repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers act 1958 in the front side and support 11 years of hunger strike by Irom Sharmila and Save Democracy Repeal AFSPA in the back side was presented to L.K.Advani during the all round intersection with the students from the North East at advance Christmas program hosted by L.K Advani himself in his residence, Delhi.

At the first moment when the T shirt was presented to L.K Advani by explaining about Irom Sharmila's 11 years hunger strike to repeal AFSPA, He was very reluctant to take it in front of the media persons and students gathering around him.

He was saying "I will take later on". One of the SDRAG members said to the Former Deputy Prime Minister "it is a token of love and gift from the students". Finally, He received the T-Shirt with a campaign round badge written with save democracy repeal AFSPA. He also loudly read the round badge written as SAVE DEMOCRACY REPEAL AFSPA- Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

One of the impotent leaders of the opposition of Lok Shabha was approached to repeal the Armed Forces Specials Powers Act at the moment. But he did not give any response to the SGRAG. On October 30, 2011 at Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), the Bharatiya Janata Party leader, LK Advani has opposed the withdrawal of draconian law, Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from occupied Kashmir.LK Advani talking to mediamen in Thiruvananthapuram said, "I don't think there is a need to withdraw AFSPA in so far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned. Nothing should be done that weakens the armed forces' position." He, however, said that there was a case for withdrawal of the Act in Manipur, which could be examined."

After the formal program of the event the similar campaign T- Shirt was also presented to the BJP national convener-in-charge of northeast India Sampak cell Sunil Deodhar and BJP MLA elected from Goa who was attended in the program.

Sunil Deodhar was laughing while receiving the campaign T-shirt and responded "You have given this to us (BJP) since you already knew BJP’s position on AFSPA that we will oppose to repeal AFSPA". SDRAG members told him to Sunil Deodhar that "if you really care for the North East Region and love for the people who lives there as you said, you should try to address the genuine issues.

Simply organizing cultural programs may not help". Sunil also asked that why people of Manipur do not strike against the local commandos when they killed many people in Manipur. Why only against Indian Armies? He further said that was not the right place to discuss all this issues.

SDRAG strongly feels that the Political parties like BJP or any political parties should stop doing double politics on AFSPA in Delhi and regional center like Manipur. We want to ask why the central BJP party leaders are saying something and regional leaders are saying something. We will continue our campaign with one main objective- Save Democracy Repeal AFSPA.

Issued by
Seram Rojesh
Mukhes
Suhela Kapur