Shillong: The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) reportedly demanded the complete withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, commonly known as AFSPA, and the execution of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the entire northeastern region for the protection and welfare of indigenous people.
The apex body of eight student organizations has been advocating for the removal of AFSPA and the implementation of ILP in all northeastern states.
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NESO Chairman Samuel B Jywra said that the people of the region have been subjected to numerous atrocities because of AFSPA, including the killing of 13 daily wage earners in a case of mistaken identity in Nagaland’s Mon district in December 2021.
While the Union Home Ministry has reduced disturbed areas under AFSPA in Nagaland, Assam, and Manipur, the act remains effective in certain areas.
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The AFSPA grants the Army and other central paramilitary forces the power to conduct raids and operations, arrest anyone anywhere without prior notice or arrest warrant, and is often labelled a “draconian law” by political parties and NGOs.
Jywra stressed that the execution of ILP in all northeastern states is necessary for the overall safeguarding and welfare of the indigenous people of the region.
The ILP, which was in force in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Mizoram, was promulgated in Manipur on December 11, 2019. It allows Indian citizens to enter the ILP-enforced areas for a limited period and specific purpose with written permission from the state and competent authority.
The primary goal of the ILP system is to prevent the settlement of other Indian nationals in these states and safeguard the native population’s land, jobs, and other facilities.
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Jywra also demanded that the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) should not be conducted in northeastern states, as students from the region do not receive the same level of higher education skills, facilities, and support as other parts of the country.
NESO Advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya also demanded the identification and deportation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in the region and opposed the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).