Centre announces reduction of AFSPA applicable areas in Nagaland, Assam, Manipur

Chennai: In a significant step, the Government of India reduced disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the states of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur, said Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday.

"Under the decisive leadership of PM Shri @NarendraModi Ji, the government has decided to reduce disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the states of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades," he tweeted.

In a significant step, GoI under the decisive leadership of PM Shri @NarendraModi Ji has decided to reduce disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the states of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 31, 2022

Reduction in areas under AFSPA is a result of the improved security situation and fast-tracked development due to the consistent efforts and several agreements to end insurgency and bring lasting peace in North East, he further added.

"Thanks to PM @NarendraModi Ji’s unwavering commitment, our North-Eastern region, which was neglected for decades is now witnessing a new era of peace, prosperity and unprecedented development I congratulate the people of North East on this momentous occassion," he continued on Twitter.

A home ministry spokesperson, however, said the decision does not imply that the AFSPA has been completely withdrawn from the three insurgency-hit states but will continue to be in force in some areas of the three states.

The AFSPA has been in force for decades in the three Northeastern states to assist the armed forces operating there to tackle insurgency.

The AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations and arrest anyone without any prior warrant besides giving immunity from arrest and prosecution to the security forces if they shoot someone dead.

There have been protests and demands for the complete withdrawal of the law from the Northeast as well as Jammu and Kashmir for its alleged "draconian" provisions.