Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday said that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, (AFSPA) will continue in Nagaland as justified the same as a ‘special case’.
Apart from eight police stations in Arunachal Pradesh, where ASFPA continues to be imposed, Nagaland, Manipur and Assam are the only three states in the North-east that continue to be under AFSPA.
Also read: Meghalaya welcomes withdrawal of AFSPA from State
Last year, the Home Ministry gave up its power and asked the Assam government to take a decision on continuing AFSPA in the State.
Rijiju also said that the ‘peace agreement’ hasn’t been finalized as yet.
Reiterating that lifting of AFSPA from Meghalaya has no bearing on Nagaland, Rijiju said as the case of Nagaland is a special one, the Act will remain in force in Nagaland.
He said that the peace agreement is yet to be finalized and there are many underground factions as well.
On April 1, the Home Ministry revoked AFSPA in Meghalaya and restricted it to eight police stations instead of 16 in Arunachal Pradesh.
Last year, the Home Ministry gave up its power and asked the Assam government to take a decision on continuing AFSPA in the State. In the case of Assam (excluding areas covered by the Guwahati municipality) and Manipur (except seven Assembly constituencies in Imphal) the respective State governments exercise the right.