Digital
Desk: On Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the Armed Forces
(Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) would be removed from the entire state of Assam.
In the northeastern state, Shah added, better law and order and peace
agreements with militant groups led to the partial withdrawal of AFSPA, which
provided the military immunity from any disciplinary action.
In
Guwahati, Shah awarded the President's Colour to the Assam Police, praising
chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for bringing most terrorist groups to the
negotiating table. "The day is not far away when the entire state will be
fully free of insurgency and violence," the home minister stated.
Union
home minister Amit Shah revealed on Thursday that the national government has
decided to lower the disturbed areas covered by the Armed Forces Special Powers
Act in Nagaland, Assam, and Manipur after decades.
"AFSPA
was implemented in Assam in the 1990s. It was seven times extended. The Act was
repealed in 23 districts and partially in one district after Prime Minister
Narendra Modi's eight-year tenure. He stated, "I am optimistic that it
will be entirely removed from the entire state soon." Shah was in Assam
for a two-day visit.
Both the federal and state governments
are rehabilitating people who have surrendered and returned to society,
according to the home minister.
Shah said the Assam Police had a long
history and had successfully dealt with insurgency, border concerns, arms,
drugs, and cattle smuggling, rhino poaching, and societal issues such as
witchcraft.
He stated that it deserved to be given
the President's Colors.
At the 'Alankaran Parade' ceremony in
the state capital earlier in the day, Shah presented the President's Colour to
the Assam Police in the presence of Sarma and director general of police
Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta.
