SHILLONG, DEC 7: Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Tuesday said it is high time that the Centre repealed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 as it has “outlived its utility”.
“The AFSPA has outlived its utility. Therefore, it is time for the Government of India to repeal this law,” Rymbui told journalists.
He said the AFSPA was enacted in 1958 to empower the armed forces to tackle problems related to the North East region.
The home minister also stated that the Act is in operation in all the seven states of the NE region including Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland but later it was also extended to erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir.
However, over a period of time people have realized the importance of development and the importance of livelihood.
“Moreover after 1972, where the whole NE have been reorganized into different states, we have seen the district administrations most of the time were able to tackle any problems related to the issue which is against the interest of the country,” he opined.
He also recalled that in the state of Meghalaya militancy problem was tackled by the district administration, police and paramilitary forces as and when it was needed.
“Personally, I fully endorse that AFSPA should be repealed because we have seen…people cast aspersions against the armed forces invoking the AFSPA,” he added.
According to him, the AFSPA is still in operation in the areas of Meghalaya which are bordering with the state of Assam.
When asked if the state government would pressurize the Centre to withdraw the draconian law from Meghalaya, Rymbui said it is for the Chief Minister of the state to see what needs to be done adding “but for me I have seen that this AFSPA has outlived its utility and it is time to repeal it.”
By Our Reporter
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