DIMAPUR, DEC 30 (NPN): In what was like a slap on the face of the all-party state government, which had unanimously resolved to demand repeal of the draconian Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, the extension of the AFSPA overall Nagaland, for another six months w.e.f. December 30 was also adding insult to injury on the people of Oting village in Mon district in particular and people of Nagaland in general.
After the meeting held at the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on December 23 with Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma including deputy chief minister Y. Patton and NPF legislature party leader T.R. Zeliang; the MHA instituted a 5-member committee on December 25 on repeal of the Act from Nagaland. The committee was to submit its report to the home ministry within a period of 45 days.
Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India Vivek Joshi will head the five-member committee and additional secretary (NE) in the Home Ministry Piyush Goyal will be member-secretary. The other members will include chief secretary and DGP Nagaland, IGAR (N) and representative from CRPF.
The December 23 meeting also came close on the heels of the one-day session of the 13th NLA on December 20, which resolved to urge upon the Centre to repeal the Act from Nagaland.
The institution of the 5-member committee on repeal of AFSPA had given a huge boost towards hope that the draconian Act that has been in force since 1958, the longest ever in India, will come to an end. The repeal of AFSPA will also end the unbridled powers enjoyed by the armed forces wherever it is in force.
According to notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA): “the Central government is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole of the State of Nagaland is in such a disturbed and dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary.”
Cong slams Centre: Slamming the Centre’s decision to extend AFSPA in Nagaland, Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala, in a tweet accused the government of pushing “a hitherto peaceful North East into an abyss of lawlessness, insurgency and chaos”.
“The utter lack of understanding of the ethos of its people, its diversity, its concerns and attempt to annihilate democracy to usurp power has led us to the current state,” Surjewala tweeted.
The Congress also termed the latest extension baffling and called for a united agitation to seek repeal of the Act.
“Despite condemnation and protests against arbitrary and indiscriminate abuses #AFSPA has again been extended in #Nagaland. Time for raising a united voice for repeal,” party’s MP from Assam Pradyut Bordoloi tweeted.
Adding further insult to injury: NPF
Naga People’s Front (NPF) has expressed shock and dismay over the extension of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in Nagaland for a further six more months with effect from December 30, 2021.
NPF press bureau opined that the extension of AFSPA at a time when the Centre had instituted a committee to examine the withdrawal of the in Nagaland was “a case of adding further insult to injury.”
The party also said that the extension was a manifestation of the utter disregard the central government had for the voices of small states, particularly North-East region and especially, after the Nagaland Legislative Assembly had at its one-day session on December 20, unanimously resolved to demand repeal of AFSPA.
NPF asserted that the continued extension of AFSPA was an attempt to exploit the long suffering of the Naga people.
It pointed out that state chief minister Neiphiu Rio, deputy chief minister Y Patton and the leader of the NPF Legislature TR Zeliang had recently expressed gratitude to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah for “taking the matter with utmost seriousness and positively responding to the voices of the people.”
In this regard, NPF questioned whether there was any modicum of co-ordination or even communication between the executive and legislative branches of the central government.
NPF maintained that the restraint and maturity must be reciprocated in a positive way by repealing undemocratic legislations and oppressive laws.
NPF affirmed that it was committed to the removal of Disturbed Area Act and AFSPA, 1958 from all the Naga area and would continue to pursue all democratic means to achieve the same.
NPF also asserted that it would not stay idle till the central government reconsidered its decision.
Imchen slams extension of AFSPA: NPF legislator Imkong L Imchen has termed the extension of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the State as a “direct signal” from the Centre to Naga people that their voice had no meaning whatsoever.
Imchen recalled that after the December 23 meeting between union home minister Amit Shah with Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio, deputy chief minister Y.Patton, NPF leader T.R. Zeliang in presence of Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, since it was agreed to work out modalities to withdraw AFSPA, he (Imchen) proposed that AFSPA should be kept in abeyance till the committee report was submitted.
However now that AFSPA is being extended contrary to the outcome of the December 23 meeting, Imchen said the Centre’s double standard has reduced the outcome of the meeting (December 23) ‘false’.
He also urged upon Nagas to raise their voices against such double standards despite the massive protest rallies against AFSPA and resolution of the NLA for repeal of AFSPA.
Imchen also lauded the support given to the demand for repeal of AFSPA in Nagaland which was described as a blot on Indian democracy by many prominent public leaders and writers from mainland India. He said the sooner AFSPA was lifted, India would be seen as a nation that respects the rights of its citizens by the world.
RPP holds UDA coalition responsible
Rising People’s Party (RPP) has held the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) coalition-NDPP, BJP and NPF- solely responsible for extension of Disturbed Area Act (DDA) in Nagaland for another six months and continues to play with the lives of its citizens.
RPP president Joel Naga and general secretary Amai Chingkhu stated that the extension was an abject failure of the UDA coalition to convince the government of India that post-Oting massacre, it was capable of handling law and order situation in the state, with or without AFSPA. RPP said the UDA has lost the moral right to rule.
RPP also cited the recent press conference where Meghalaya chief minister asserted that the role of a state government was very crucial in the lifting of AFSPA. RPP said the statement was a severe indictment of UDA coalition. It said that the writ of the coalition government did not exist as far as upholding law and order was concerned. Further demanding clarification from UDA coalition on the issue, RPP questioned whether or not UDA raised objection to the extension of the DAA? “Were any written assurances made to the MHA guaranteeing that since law and order is a state subject it would uphold such?” RPP asked.
RPP said suffering Naga public for a long time had been demanding that the state government control all the illegal activities being committed by various factions. However, it alleged that state leaders have for too long “purposefully kept looking the other way, instead blaming the unresolved Naga political issue for all the ills in the state.”
RPP claimed that successive state governments abdicating their responsibility to govern and uphold the rule of law gave Centre the necessary excuse to impose AFSPA in the state despite continued opposition by civil society groups. “Something had to give in, and very unfortunately the Oting massacre happened,” RPP said and alleged that state’s politicians have blood on their hands.