Amid the growing clamour for the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 (AFSPA) from the Northeast, the Centre has decided to extend the draconian Act in Nagaland for six more months with effect from Thursday.
The Centre said 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”.
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This comes just days after the Union government formed a seven-member panel to suggest withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act, 1958 (AFSPA) from Nagaland.
The Centre has asked the panel to submit its report within three months.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Northeast India Division, in an order on December 26, stated that “In order to review AFSPA in Nagaland a committee is constituted.”
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As per the MHA order, the “terms of the reference of the committee shall be to review the application of AFSPA in Nagaland and make suitable recommendations within a period of three months”.
As per reports, the decision was taken after Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting at his residence in New Delhi on December 23 to discuss the present scenario in Nagaland.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma.