Question mark over AFSPA, Shah has failed to provide security to citizens: TMC

Senior TMC leader Sushmita Dev referred to the Centre's decision to increase BSF's jurisdiction and said the killings in Nagaland in the botched anti-insugency operation proved how things can "go wrong" if the Centre intervenes in the state's jurisdiction.

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress on Monday said the killing of 14 civilians by security forces in Nagaland's Mon district has put a question mark over AFSPA and proved that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has failed to perform his duty of providing security to the citizens of the country.

Senior TMC leader Sushmita Dev referred to the Centre's decision to increase BSF's jurisdiction and said the killings in Nagaland in the botched anti-insugency operation proved how things can "go wrong" if the Centre intervenes in the state's jurisdiction.

Dev demanded that the Union Home Minister Amit Shah immediately convene a meeting of chief ministers of the northeastern states and said the problems related to Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) should be resolved through dialogue and "not through domination and interference in the jurisdiction of the states".

"It is imperative that the Centre set up a committee to see if AFSPA is working in this country or not. The killing of civilians Nagaland incident by security forces has put a question mark over the Act. We demand that Amit Shah Ji immediately convene a meeting of all the chief ministers of the northeastern states and discuss the issue of AFSPA. The problems related to AFSPA should be resolved through dialogue and not through domination and interference in the jurisdiction of the states," Dev said at a press conference here.

Hitting out at the Centre, she said "Union Home Minister Amit Shah has completely failed to provide security to the citizens of this country".

Dev, TMC MP, referred to the Centre's decision in October this year to increase BSF's jurisdiction up to 50 kms from the border and said "The Nagaland incident proves how things go wrong if you interfere in the state's jurisdiction".

The party said on Monday morning said that it will not send its delegation as announced the previous day to Nagaland's Mon district, where the killings occured, due to the prohibitory orders in force in the area at present.

A five-member TMC delegation comprising of MPs Prasun Banerjee, Aparupa Poddar, Santanu Sen and party spokesperson Biswajit Deb besides Dev was scheduled to visit Mon.

Announcing the party's decision to call off the visit for now, Dev said "We came to know at the last moment that prohibitory orders have been clamped in the area. So, we have decided to call off our visit to Mon. We will visit the area once the prohibitory orders are withdrawn. TMC stands by the families of those killed in the firing".

Party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has demanded a thorough investigation into the killing of the civilians by the security forces on Saturday.

PTI