Kohima, May 31 (MExN): All India Congress Committee (AICC) member, KV Pusa today demanded repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Nagaland State.
He accused the BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of "playing a double standard game" in dealing with the Naga political issue by not revoking the draconian law even as the peace process is underway.
He said despite demand from all sections of people, the centre has remained mute. The former Minister and ex-president of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) said the NDA government was not at all sincere to hammer out solution to the decades old Naga issue. He cautioned that using of AFSPA as a tool to contain the Naga issue would result in a backlash rather than solve the issue.
He urged that all citizens of the country should be treated equally and added people of the NE have been subjected to a draconian law for decades vis-a-vis gross violation of human rights. He further asked the centre to contemplate more on finding the best solution to the problem rather than trying to push the people engaged in the peace process to the wall.
Reiterating Congress Vice President, Rahul Gandhi’s statement that the Framework Agreement signed last year should not disappear in thin air, he cautioned that "double standard game of the Union Government would get in the way to the ongoing peace process."
Reacting to Union Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar’s statement that army cannot operate in civilian areas without AFSPA, Pusa said there are appropriate laws to deal with the situation and not with the draconian law and demanded for repeal of the Act at the earliest to facilitate peace process in the region. He said there was no point for the army to operate in civilian areas armed with AFSPA.
Referring to Nagaland, the Congress leader said "while peace process is underway and the Centre has issued special identity cards to militant leaders for their free movement, there is no reason why AFSPA should continue to stay in the state." He added that decades of imposition of AFSPA have not resolved the issue in the state and the NE. Meanwhile, Pusa also expressed concern at Kohima not being selected for the Smart City project. He asked the Centre to implement such schemes in underdeveloped states. "Why such scheme should be implemented in developed states?" he asked.
