Manipur MP Akoijam Slams BJP Govts Over Reimposition Of AFSPA In State

Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam criticised the Centre for directly imposing AFSPA in Manipur, calling it a first and a sign of the Centre's control over the state government.

AFSPA has been reimposed in six police stations in Manipur. (Representational Image)

Source : PTI

Manipur Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party ruling Central and state governments over the reinstatement of AFSPA in six police stations in the North Eastern state amid ongoing ethnic violence. 

Akoijam flagged that this was the first time the Centre imposed the "controversial and notorious legal fiction" in the state. 

"Another move that one must be cautious of: The Union Government has imposed AFSPA in areas under six police stations in Manipur," said the MP in a post on X. 

"This latest imposition makes history. It is worth recollecting that all the hitherto impositions of AFSPA in the state have been done by the Government of Manipur," he added. 

On Thursday, the Centre reimposed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Manipur's six police station areas, including the violence-hit Jiribam. The Union Home Ministry asserted that the decision was taken given the "continuous volatile situation" in Manipur. 

Another move that one must be cautious of: The Union Government has imposed AFSPA in areas under six police stations in Manipur.

This is the first time that this controversial and notorious legal fiction called the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, has been imposed by the…

— A. Bimol Akoijam (@Bimol_Akoijam) November 14, 2024

Akoijam said that while the Centre has imposed AFSPA itself for the first time, it had been doing so "surreptitiously and/or extra-constitutionally" through the state government. "The decision on the imposition was taken/announced publicly by the Union Home Minister before the state government formally issued the notification later after the CM publicly thanked the Home Minister for the decision," he said. 

"This time around, that veil covering the surreptitious/extra-constitutional control over the State Government by the Union Government has been discarded," he added. 

The Manipur MP also questioned who has been in charge of the law and order in the state since the beginning of the unrest in May 2023. "Unlike anywhere in the country, now Manipur has the unique distinction of having separate areas under the AFSPA imposed by different authorities," he said. 

The MHA said in a statement that the Act was being imposed  purportedly “to carry out well-coordinated operations by the security forces to maintain the security situation and contain the activities of insurgent groups in these areas.” 

Slamming the statement, Akoijam said despite setting up "Unified Headquarters" to deal with law and order and security situation, "the violence has resulted in villages being wiped out, thousands rendered homeless and hundreds killed." 

"Far more than this draconian Act, and foggy and muddled deals with armed groups, a sincere and political will is required to restore normalcy in the state," he said. 

The AFSPA gives sweeping powers to the armed forces operating in disturbed areas to search, arrest and open fire if they deem it necessary.