Committee to decide on withdrawing AFSPA from Nagaland

A committee will be formed to look into the withdrawal of the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Nagaland, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio tweeted after a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday. 

The demand for the withdrawal of the controversial law gathered in the state after 14 civilians died earlier this month in a botched army operation and the retaliatory violence that followed in Mon district.

“Briefed the media with regard to the meeting chaired by Hon’ble @HMOIndia Shri @AmitShah on Dec’ 23, 2021 in New Delhi. Grateful to Amit Shah ji for taking up the matter with utmost seriousness. The State Govt. appeals to all sections to continue to maintain a peaceful atmosphere,” Rio’s tweet said.

Also read: Nagaland Assembly passes resolution demanding repeal of AFSPA

Last week, the Nagaland assembly unanimously resolved to demand a repeal of AFSPA from the Northeast.

Rio led the assembly in adopting the resolution at a special session.

While moving the resolution, Rio said the government had been asking the Centre to remove AFSPA from the state and take Nagaland off the list of “disturbed areas” for the past 20 years. He said the demand had become more pronounced in the recent past in view of the improved situation in Nagaland.

Several northeastern states, including Nagaland, have been demanding the repeal of AFSPA, which empowers security personnel to make arrests without a warrant and shoot to kill.