AFSPA must be removed from Northeast, says Meghalaya MP Agatha Sangma
Feb 04, 2022
New Delhi [India], February 4 : National People's Party (NPP) MP and ally of the BJP, Agatha Sangma while speaking in the Lower House of Parliament on Friday requested the Union government to consider the sentiments of the northeast and remove Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA).
Sangma said, "I represent the Northeast states therefore I would request the Central government to consider the long pending demand and sentiments of the people of the north-east and repeal AFSPA."
She said, "There was a very unfortunate incident that happened in Nagaland in December last year and such incident should not have really happened wherein many innocent lives were lost their lives."
"We do not want this sort of incident to ever repeat and that's why I think it is important that AFSPA be repealed," she added.
In 2018 the union government completely removed AFSPA from Meghalaya after a period of 27 years however it is still in force in Nagaland, Assam, and some portions of Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
Several chief ministers of the northeast region including N Biren Singh who is the chief minister of Manipur have also said that the AFSPA should be repealed.
