A special one-day session of the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) is to be held tentatively on December 20 to discuss the controversial Armed Forces (Special Power) Act 1958 including the Naga Political issue.
This was decided at a meeting by the Core Committee of the Parliamentary Committee on Naga Political headed by chief minister Neiphiu Rio at Hotel Vivor here Thursday.
This was informed to Nagaland Post by minister of planning & coordination, land revenue and parliamentary affairs minister Neiba Kronu, who is also the member secretary of the committee.
Kronu said that the tentative date for the special assembly session has been set for December 20. He also said the Governor is to give his assent for convening the special assembly session.
The decision also comes against the backdrop of the state cabinet to urge government of India to repeal Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 from Nagaland.
Several organizations, including the Naga Students’ Federation had also appealed to the state government to convene a special Assembly session to pass a resolution for repealing of the draconian law.
It may be recalled that chief minister Neiphiu Rio, while speaking at the mass funeral service in Mon town on December 6, had said: “We’re urging the Central government to remove AFSPA from Nagaland. I have spoken to Union Home Minister Amit Shah who has taken the matter very seriously.”.
It may also be recalled that the state cabinet had decided to support the demands of the Konyak Union (KU) addressed to President of India on December 6, for repeal of AFSPA from the North East and to set up a special investigation team (SIT), under a competent investigating agency, to conduct an independent inquiry and also to include two members in the SIT from Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation etc.
Kronu also said the cabinet decided that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) complete its investigation within one month.
On the demand for withdrawal of 27 Assam Rifles from Mon district, Kronu had earlier said that the government would need to look into it and discuss it with the Centre.
The demand for repeal of AFSPA has found wide support among all organisations and politicians both within and beyond Nagaland.