Aiming to withdraw AFSPA from entire Assam by November: CM Himanta Sarma
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) may be lifted from the state by November. While speaking at the first-ever Commandants’ Conference, he said that the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) would be replaced by the Assam Police Battalions.
“AFSPA may be lifted from the entire state by November. This will facilitate the replacement of CAPFs by Assam Police Battalions. However, the presence of CAPFs as required by law shall be in place,” the Assam CM said.
The AFSPA gives armed forces personnel, operating in disturbed areas, sweeping powers to search, arrest, and to open fire if they deem it necessary for “the maintenance of public order”.
An area or district is notified as a ‘disturbed area’ under the AFSPA to facilitate the operations of the armed forces. In Assam, the disturbed area notification has been in force since 1990.
The Centre had lifted AFSPA, on April 1 last year, from Assam barring nine districts and a sub-division of Cachar district. Later, it was removed from the Lakhipur sub-division and West Karbi Anglong district.
At the Commandants Conference, Biswa also said that the Assam government would hold the commandants’ conference every six months and “efforts will be made to create an atmosphere in the Battalions to bring a positive change in the mindset of the Commandants and forces.”
During a press conference on May 9, Himanta Sarma said that the Assam government was working to remove the AFSPA Act from five more districts as the law and order situation in the state had improved in the last two years.
”Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s various initiatives has led to peace agreements with several armed groups, removal of AFSPA from 60 percent of the state, besides resolving boundary issues with Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya”, he said as quoted by news agency PTI.
