The National People’s Party (NPP) has decided to press the Centre to repeal the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, as well as call for a united front against the draconian legislation.
In remembrance of the 14 citizens killed by security forces in Nagaland, the NPP leader said this on the sidelines of a candlelight memorial titled “United against the draconian AFSPA.” On Saturday, the NPP office in the city hosted the event.
NPP calls for repeal
According to the report by The Shillong times, James Sangma, Health Minister and the party’s national general secretary, noted that NPP Lok Sabha member Agatha Sangma had categorically spoken out against the AFSPA and the need to repeal it in Parliament, saying: “As a party, we maintain that stand and we are also going to pursue this very vigorously with the Government of India.”
The tragedy in Nagaland’s Mon on December 4 was tragic, according to James Sangma.
“Everyone has been shaken by this incident.” We must not let these innocent people’s deaths be in vain, and we must all stand in solidarity with Nagaland — standing unified is the only way to repeal the AFSPA,” he urged.
He stated unequivocally that the AFSPA must be repealed before more people are subjected to human rights violations and security forces profit from the situation.
The candlelight vigil was attended by NPP MDCs and party employees.
Agatha Sangma, speaking on the Zero Hour, said the security forces’ death of 14 villagers in Nagaland was not the first occasion “when innocent civilians have to suffer the weight of a draconian law like AFSPA.”
Mukul Sangma says
Mukul M. Sangma, a former chief minister and leader of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), has also stated that Meghalaya’s handling of insurgency and terrorism should serve as a model for the Centre and the entire country.
“The Centre could conduct a case study on how some states, like Meghalaya, have dealt with challenges like insurgency and terrorism,” Mukul had said, adding that the Act is unnecessary if a state can deal with insurgency on its own.
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