Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has reiterated that the state government is firm on the unanimous resolution adopted in the assembly on December 20, demanding the repeal of AFSPA from the northeastern state.
Chief Minister Rio said despite the Centre’s decision on December 30 last year to extend the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) for another six months in Nagaland, the state government is firm on the resolution adopted in the House.
“The demand of the Naga public and also the state Cabinet is very clear for repeal of AFSPA while the state Assembly had also passed a resolution on December 20, 2021, and we stand firm with the resolution,” Rio told reporters in Kohima on Wednesday in the sidelines of a programme.
The clamour for withdrawal of the controversial Act from the state has come to the fore after 14 civilians were killed by security forces at Oting in Nagaland’s Mon district.
On his December 23 meeting with Union Home Minister in Delhi along with his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma, Rio said discussions were held with the Home Minister that as AFSPA is an Act of Parliament, there is a need for setting up a committee for reviewing it.
“We decided that though the system will be in place till the committee submits its recommendations, there will be no armed forces operations during the period,” Rio added.
He said that the process of repealing the AFSPA, if recommended by the committee, will start following the submission of the panel’s report.