Centre decides reducing more ‘disturbed areas’ in northeast region: Amit Shah

Union home minster Amit Shah on Saturday said that the Centre has once again decided to reduce the jurisdiction of ‘disturbed areas’ under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in Assam, Nagaland and Manipur. The decision has been taken considering the significant improvement in the security situation in the country's northeastern region, according to Shah.

“A historic day for the Northeast! PM @narendramodi led GoI has once again decided to decrease the disturbed areas in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur under the AFSPA. This decision has been taken on account of significant improvement in the security situation in North-East India,” the Union minister said in a series of tweets.

This comes a day after the Centre extended the ‘disturbed area’ status in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland for a period of six months. The government notice said the decision to extend the status was taken based on a review of the law and order situation in both states.

Also read: ‘Most of the narcotic drugs are shipped in Pakistan’: Amit Shah in Bengaluru

Shah added that the northeastern region is ‘rapidly heading onthe path of peace and development’ as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ‘for the first time in India's history, prioritised security, peace and development in the region'.

“I express my gratitude to PM @narendramodi Ji for bringing this positive change in the lives of the people of North East and connecting the region with the hearts of the rest of India,” he added.

Welcoming the move, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the move is an indicator to the outcome of ‘governance model led by PM Modi’ that ‘rests on the twin pillars of decisiveness and responsiveness’.

AFSPA avails sweeping powers to armed forces personnel in ‘disturbed areas’ to search, arrest and open fire if required in a bid to ‘maintain the public order’.

The draconian act was first enforced in Assam in 1990, and only eight districts in the state will have the ‘disturbed area’ tag from April 1.

In Manipur, the entire state was declared ‘disturbed’ in 2004 except the Imphal municipality area. In April last year, jurisdictions under 15 police stations in six districts have been freed from ‘disturbed’ status.

Similarly, 15 police station areas in seven districts of Nagaland were released from the ambit of AFSPA last year, which was in force since 1995.

Four more police station areas in Manipur and three in Nagaland have been removed from the ‘disturbed area’ tag, which will be in effect from April 1.

(With ANI inputs)