Biren promises to press Centre to remove AFSPA from Manipur hill areas

Imphal: Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh on Thursday said he will try his best to approach to convince the Centre to remove the Act.

The chief minister said this in the House on the seventh day of the 6th session of 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly.

He was responding to MLA Leishiyo Keishing who drew a Calling Attention motion to the Leader of the House, Biren, who is in-charge of Home, on the long-standing demand for removal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, (AFSPA) 1958 from the hill areas of Manipur.

Leishiyo termed AFSPA as the draconian law and in-humane. Recalling past instances of the same, he mentioned that this Act violates the Fundamental Rights of citizens of India.

Biren said many agencies had pressed the Centre to impose AFSPA after the May 3, 2023 incident in valley areas too. He also stated that that imposition of AFSPA cannot guarantee ideal laws and order condition.

He also mentioned on the recent amendment of the three new criminal laws imposed by the Supreme Court all over India, which has emphasised more on dignity and humanity.

Referring to the Calling Attention motion made by MLA Th. Lokeshwar Singh on the matter of government failure to ensure conflict-free zone in and around educational institutions, Education minister Th. Basanta Kumar Singh stated that overall situation of the state must be viewed through holistic approach. He mentioned that there have been some cases of unreasonable demands by the teachers. He assured the House that the state government is taking all steps including ensuring better law and order situation to improve the welfare of both students and teachers. He also invited suggestions from all stakeholders to bring back the academic environment back to normalcy.

To provide safety to educational institutions, he proposed his own suggestions in the House wherein, he will approach the Security Advisor to consider patrolling in all the institutions as a short-term measure. Another suggestion he deliberated in the House is that all the head of the institutions should take into account the unreasonable demands and extortions faced by them and report to the concerned department.

For long term solution, he said the department along with the Home department will make policies to make learning space a conflict-free zone.