The Assam government exercised its power under the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) by declaring the entire state “disturbed” for six months for the first time since 1990. Recently, the ministry of home affairs, which deals with the subject, told the state government to take a decision on the continuation of AFSPA on its own after making essential assessments.
Armed forces placed in troubled areas are entitled to arrest, search any location and shoot anyone with no warrant. Assam was first acknowledged a ‘disturbed’ area under AFSPA in 1990. The state had witnessed huge violence perpetrated by the banned insurgent group ULFA then.
President’s rule was enforced after dismissing the then-AGP government led by Prafulla Kumar Mahanta. Since then, the centre has been exercising powers given under AFSPA.
Officials said there were 75 incidents of violence in Assam in 2016. These incidents killed 33 people including four security personnel and 14 others were abducted. Insurgent groups like ULFA and NDFB triggers violence in Assam.
However, the government order to declare 20-km belt in Meghalaya bordering Assam, and three districts of Arunachal Pradesh including, Tirap, Changlang, and Longding and areas in nine other districts in Arunachal Pradesh as ‘disturbed’ will continue till 30 September.
Both Centre and state can declare areas ‘disturbed’ under the Act.
