new Delhi: The central government has reduced the disturbed areas covered under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in three northeastern states. A day after which on Friday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma urged the ULFA-I and other Naxalite organizations to join the peace process.
In the state assembly, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “I appeal to the ULFA-I and other extremist organizations which are still in arms movement, to come forward and participate in the peace process so that we all make Assam a powerful part of the country. to form a state.”
I appeal to ULFA-I and other militant organizations which are still in their arms movement, to come forward and take part in the peace process so that we all can make Assam a powerful state of the country: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma in the state Assembly
— ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2022
Sarma called it a “historic decision” after the AFSPA was withdrawn from most parts of the state. He said, on behalf of Assam and Northeast, I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for this decision. Now a new horizon of peaceful environment will start here, he said. The state will get new strength of development.
Earlier, on Thursday, the Narendra Modi government at the Center decided to de-escalate the disturbed areas under AFSPA in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades. According to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), a significant step has been taken by the government to de-escalate the disturbed areas under the three northeastern states as a result of the improvement in the security situation in the Northeast.
AFSPA area reduced in Assam, Manipur, Nagaland
Let us tell you that, in Assam, where the disturbed area notification is in force since 1990. At the same time, with effect from April 1, 2022, AFSPA is being removed completely from 23 districts and partially from one district.
At the same time, the Disturbed Area Declaration which is in force in the whole of Manipur (except Imphal Municipality area) since 2004. There, fifteen police station areas in six districts of Manipur will be out of the purview of this Act from April 1.
A Home Ministry release said that, in Nagaland, a high-level committee constituted by the Center after Som’s murder has accepted the recommendation to abolish AFSPA in a phased manner. Disturbed area notification has been withdrawn from 15 police stations in seven districts of Nagaland with effect from April 1.