Major Step By Modi Govt For Northeast: AFSPA To Be Withdrawn From More Areas Of Three States

The Narendra Modi government has taken another bold step to usher in peace in parts of the Northeast region, that are still restive. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah took to twitter to announce that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) will be withdrawn from more areas of Assam, Nagaland and Manipur from 1 April. 

Shah termed the day as a “historic day” for the region.

Shah also tweeted: “For the first time in India’s history, PM Narendra Modi Ji has prioritized security, peace and development in the North East. As a result of it, the region today is rapidly heading on the path of peace and development”. 

The union government had, in April last year, reduced the areas under AFSPA in the three states significantly. 

After that move in April 2022, AFSPA has been in force in only nine districts and one sub-division of another district in Assam. From 1 April this year, AFSPA will be in force in only eight districts of the state. 

AFSPA, which provides an enabling environment for the armed forces to carry out anti-insurgency operations, will be withdrawn from areas under four police stations in Manipur. Last April, the law was withdrawn from 15 police station areas in six districts of the state. 

AFSPA was promulgated for the entire state of Assam in 1990 with the outbreak of insurgency led by the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). It was imposed in Nagaland in 1995 and in Manipur in 2004. 

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in this statement, said that the move was initiated because of a huge improvement in the security situation in the three states. 

“Compared to the year 2014, there is a reduction of 76 per cent in the extremist incidents in the year 2022. Similarly, the deaths of security personnel and civilians have come down by 90 per cent and 97 per cent respectively, during this period,” the statement read. 

The MHA pointed out that several peace accords were implemented in the North-Eastern states over the last four years. 

“As a result of which, most of the extremist groups expressing faith in the Constitution of the country and the policies of the government led by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi have laid down their arms and became partners in the peace and development of the North East. From  2014 till now around 7000 insurgents have surrendered,” the MHA statement said. 

AFSPA was withdrawn from Tripura in 2015 and from Meghalaya in 2018.