Former union home secretary bats for AFSPA repeal in NE areas without unrest

Former union home secretary GK Pillai said on Tuesday that the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act can be repealed from the region in places where there are no cases of unrest. The controversial Act AFSPA was withdrawn from Imphal, the capital of Manipur, following decades long agitation by Irom Sharmila Chanu.

New Delhi: Against the backdrop of a widespread demand to repeal Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from the Northeastern States, former union home secretary GK Pillai on Tuesday suggested that the controversial Act can be repealed from the areas where there is no unrest. He further suggested that AFSPA can be totally repealed from Assam.

"If the situation improves, government can slowly repeal AFSPA because you don't need army there. AFSPA can be removed completely from Assam ad the situation can be easily managed by State police with the help of CRPF. There is no insurgency and unrest in Assam at all," Pillai told ETV Bharat.

Following the recent killing of civilians by security forces in Nagaland, different political parties as sell as student organisations have been demanding repeal of AFSPA. Chief ministers of Meghalaya, Nagaland have openly voiced their opinions, asking for an immediate repeal of AFSPA from their states.

AFSPA gives special power to the security forces where they can fire and detained people on suspicion in disturbed areas. Pillai said that situation in Nagaland is by and large peaceful. "It may be possible for the state police as well as central police forces to manage the situation, because government has a ceasefire with most of the militant organisations," he said.

He said that if there is any need of AFSPA, it can be easily reimposed. Pillai said that when he was the Home Secretary a suggestion was made to repeal AFSPA from areas at peace. "AFSPA is completely removed from Tripura and the state police is managing the situation easily. Like in Assam, situation can be handled by police. The Assam government don't have to worry about major insurgency now," said Pillai.

Following decades long agitation by Irom Sharmila Chanu, AFSPA was withdrawn from Imphal, the capital of Manipur.

"After removal of AFSPA from Imphal city, nobody complained about any law and order situation," Pillai said. He suggested that AFSPA can be removed from Chandel, Churachandpur, Tamenglong and other districts of Manipur, where there is peace. "I don't know whether government will agree to repeal AFSPA or not because you might still require the Act in an emergency situation," Pillai said.

In Arunachal Pradesh, AFSPA is there because many of the districts share its border with Nagaland. "Primarily the two districts of adjoining Nagaland is having some law and order problem. In rest of the area there is no insurgency," Pillai said. Referring to the demand made by Meghalaya and Nagaland government to repeat AFSPA, Pillai said that state government need to put pressure on the central government to withdraw AFSPA.

"The state government need to pressurise the central government on their demand to repeal AFSPA," Pillai said. Wherever AFSPA is removed, the concerned state government does not have any problem as the state is able to manage the law and order situation, Pillai added.