SANGMA RAISES ‘REPEAL AFSPA’ DEMAND IN LS

New Delhi, Dec. 7: In the wake of the Nagaland incident in which 14 civilians were killed, National People’s Party (NPP) MP Agatha Sangma on Tuesday said it is time that “the elephant in the room be addressed” and the “draconian” Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act be repealed.

Speaking during the Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, Sangma, who is an MP of BJP-ally NPP in Meghalaya, said that an “unfortunate and condemnable” incident took place in the Mon district of Nagaland in which “14 civilians were shot dead by the armed forces in a so-called counter insurgency operation”.

She said that this was not the first time that an incident like this had taken place where innocent civilians had to bear the brunt of “draconian laws” like AFSPA.

“It also reminds us of an incident that took place in Manipur in 2000, in Imphal, which is known as the Malom massacre in which over 10 civilians were shot dead and it prompted a 28-year-old Irom Sharmila to go on a 16-year-long hunger strike,” Sangma said.

She noted that various political leaders cutting across party lines spoke about this issue and condemned this on Monday.

Even, Union home minister Amit Shah gave a statement regarding this incident and informed the House that an SIT will probe this issue, she said. “But I also believe that it is time that the elephant in the room be addressed, which is that the AFSPA be repealed,” Sangma said.

She pointed out that the incident has been condemned by every possible student union from the Northeast. “My own political party NPP has condemned this. Even the Jeevan Reddy Committee had recommended that this act be scrapped.” —