Urging the ruling BJP Chief Minister of Manipur, N Biren Singh to put pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) immediately, the Congress in Manipur promised the complete removal of the Act in the state, if elected to power in 2022.
As Manipur inches towards Assembly polls in 2022, the state Congress vowed for immediate and complete removal of the draconian law from the state if voted to power.
It said, "… the Congress demands the Manipur Chief Minister and government press PM Modi and GoI for repeal of AFSPA in this winter session of Parliament, and (calls on the) Manipur cabinet for immediate removal of Act from the state".
Reminding the BJP that it had repealed the law from seven constituencies including Imphal during its reign, the state Congress said, "Congress rule removed AFSPA from seven assembly constituencies. If Congress comes back to power in 2022, the first Cabinet meeting will decide on the immediate and complete removal of AFSPA from the entire state…"
Shouts for the removal of the draconian AFSPA have gained momentum since the horrific killings of 14 civilians in Nagaland's Mon district by the security forces.
Six of the 14 died after a botched Army operation in Mon district. Seven more, including a jawan, died in retaliatory clashes between security personnel and locals later on.
The soldiers involved face a murder case filed by Nagaland Police.
Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio said, "This draconian law needs to go… there are laws to take care of the situation… but this law is hitting the image of our country".
Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma, another BJP ally, has echoed CM Rio's comments, asking for the removal of the law.
Home Minister Amit Shah in the aftermath said in the Parliament that the centre "regretted" the killing of 14 innocent Indians, but would not say if the law would, in fact, would be invoked in this case.
Notably, Under AFSPA, armed forces may arrest, or shoot to kill, on mere suspicion.
AFSPA is in place in Nagaland, Assam, Manipur (excluding capital Imphal), and parts of Arunachal Pradesh, as well as Jammu and Kashmir. Tripura and parts of Meghalaya were taken out of the list.