Imphal, August 12: The Manipur Government today withdrew the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act from seven assembly constituencies in Imphal areas inspite of the Centre not favouring it, Chief Minister O.Ibobi Singh announced here.

The government decided to lift the act from muncipal area having ten per cent of the total population of about 24 lakh people, Singh told mediapersons here.

The chief minister admitted that the Centre was not in favour of withdrawing the act and under Section Three it could withdraw or reimpose the act in the state.

The decision to withdraw the act from all Imphal municipal areas under the jurisdiction of seven assembly constituencies was taken in view of the people's demand for lifting it from the entire state.

Minutes after the cabinet meeting, Special Secretary (Home) S Dinokumar Singh issued a notification lifting of the act from the Imphal municipal area.

Stating that the government could not fulfil the full popular demand, the Chief minister said the cabinet reviewed the overall situation arising out of the custodial killing of Th Manorama Devi by Assam Rifles personnel on July 11 and following the demand for lifting of the act by the people.

The Chief Minister said the Centre's argument for not lifting the Act was that if it was withdrawn what would be the reactions from neighbouring Assam, Nagaland Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya.

Ibobi Singh said except Sikkim, the act was in force in these northeastern states.

He said the people of Manipur had been facing atrocities on them by the army, military and security forces for the last 24 years since the Act was first imposed in the state, while at the same time anti-socials had been creating problems.

The Chief Minister quoted statements of some organisations, without mentioning their names, that 'time had come for a civil war', 'for a referendum' and 'Manipur should be delinked from the mainland'.

"What is this? How can we tolerate such actions or statements," he questioned adding these organisations had earlier closed down counters of Indian Airlines and private airlines.

Appealing to people to fight anti-socials and seeking cooperation of the public in maintaining law and order, Ibobi Singh said the government would restore normalcy in the whole state.

Referring to provocative slogans of some people, he said his government had been in touch with the Union Home ministry after the currrent agitation broke out a month ago and asked what created the problem.

After the killing of Manorama Devi and pastor Jamkholet Khongsai, the Manipur government informed the Union Home ministry about the excesses committed by security personnel, he said, adding the union ministry was not in favour of withdrawing the Act from Manipur.

The main reasons for not favouring the withdrawal of the Act were questions of national integrity and security, Ibobi Singh said adding that the Centre could reimpose the act if it wanted to under section 3.Ibobi Singh said the government understood the sentiments, emotions and anger of the people during the agitation in the past one month and appealed to them to understand the problem faced by the government.

Withdrawal of the Act from municipal areas under assembly constituencies of Wangkhei, Yaiskul, Thangmeiband, Sagolband, Uripok, Singjamei and Keisampat was on a trial basis, he said.

If the situation improved the government would restore normalcy in the entire state, he said and asked for cooperation from the people.

Meanwhile, reports from districts said widespread sit-in protests for lifting the Act from the state continued.

The working committee of the 32 organisations spearheading the agitation for removal of the Act said it would continue protests till the Act was lifted from the entire state.

Manipur People's Party President and Legislator O.Joy Singh who had earlier threatened to resign from the house if the act was not removed said the government decision was welcome.

His party would wait and watch further developments.

CPI, a ruling partner in the Congress-led Secular Progressive Front, which had earlier threatened to withdraw support if the act was not removed, said it would review its decision at a meeting on August 16, Manipur State Council CPI Secretary B Sharma told PTI Sharma said CPI's demand had been for complete withdrawal of the Act.

A Congress spokesman said it welcomed the cabinet's decision.

The opposition BJP said people's demand was complete withdrawal from the state and it would review the situation on August 16.Meanwhile, the eight Congress MLAs, including two ministers who had earlier decided to resign if the Act was not withdrawn by August 15, were not likely to do so since the government withdrew the Act from the Imphal municipal area.

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