The Union home ministry has declared Nagaland a ‘disturbed area’ for six more months under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act with effect from December 30.
According to a gazette notification issued by the home ministry, the Centre is of the opinion that the entire state of Nagaland is in a ‘disturbed and dangerous condition’ necessitating the use of the armed forces in aid of civil power.
Nagaland has been under AFSPA for nearly 60 years now.
AFSPA was not withdrawn from Nagaland even after a framework agreement was signed by Naga insurgent group and government interlocutor RN Ravi in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015.
The other states in the North East that are under AFSPA by a central order are Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh.
The AFSPA gives the Indian Army sweeping powers to search, arrest, and open fire to maintain public order in the state and has often been criticized by civil rights groups.
