Centre Reduces 'Disturbed Areas' Under AFSPA In Nagaland, Manipur And Assam

According to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the decision has been taken in view of the significant improvement in the security situation in the North-eastern region.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Taking yet another major decision on Saturday, the Central government has reduced the areas classified as ‘disturbed’ under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the three North-eastern states of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur, with effect from 1 April, 2023.

According to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the decision has been taken in view of the significant improvement in the security situation in the North-eastern region.

The Union Home Minister said that peace has been restored in the region after several peace accords were implemented in the states in the last four years.

According to a statement of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), around 7,000 insurgents, belonging to various militant organizations, have laid down their arms since 2014.

The MHA statement also said that it has signed several historic agreements in the last four years which have resolved the decades-old problems of the region.

The MHA said due to improvement in the security situation, the disturbed area notification under AFSPA was completely withdrawn from Tripura in 2015 and Meghalaya in 2018.

The ministry also said the disturbed areas notification was in force throughout Assam since 1990. As a result of significant improvement in the security situation, the disturbed areas under AFSPA were removed from the entire state, except nine districts and one sub-division with effect from 1 April last year, and from 1 April, 2023, it has been reduced to only nine districts. 

In Manipur, the disturbed area declaration under AFSPA was in operation since 2004, except the Imphal Municipality area.

However, the Central government removed the disturbed area notification from 15 police station areas of six districts from 1 April, 2022, and now the disturbed area notification under AFSPA is being withdrawn from four other police stations. 

A total of 19 police stations in seven districts of Manipur have been removed from the disturbed area notification. 

As per MHA, the disturbed areas notification was applicable in Nagaland since 1995. However, the notification was withdrawn from 15 police stations of seven districts with effect from 1 April, 2022. It is further being cut from three other police stations with effect from 1 April this year. 

Reacting to the development, Union Home Minister Amit Shah thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for bringing this positive change in the lives of the people of Northeast.

Amit Shah said, “This decision has been taken in view of the significant improvement in the security situation in Northeast India. Prioritizing the security, peace and development of the Northeast was done for the first time under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as a result of it, the region today is rapidly heading on the path of peace and development.”

“I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Modi for bringing this positive change in the lives of the people of Northeast and connecting the region with the hearts of rest of India and I greet the people of Northeast on this momentous occasion,” he added.

Notably, compared to 2014, there is a reduction of 76 per cent in extremist activities in 2022. Similarly, the deaths of security personnel and civilians have come down by 90 per cent and 97 percent respectively during this period.