Union Government extends AFSPA in Nagaland for another six months; terming the state’s condition “disturbed and dangerous”

The Union government on Thursday extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) and declared Nagaland as “disturbed area” for six more months with immediate effect from 30th December, 2021.

The deliberate move was taken days after the union government had constituted a high-level committee to scrutinise the probability of the revocation of the highly controversial AFSPA law from the entire Nagaland.

“The Central government is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole of the State of Nagaland is in such a disturbed and dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary”, notified by the Ministry.

Albeit, in exercise of powers conferred under Section 4 of the Act, “The Central government hereby declares that the whole of the State of Nagaland to be ‘disturbed area’ for a period of six months with effect from 30th December, 2021, for the purpose of the said Act.”

The High level committee has been constituted presumably in order to alleviate the exacerbating situation in Nagaland after an ambush by the AFSPA, security forces went  outrageously wrong in Nagaland on December 4 which resulted in the death of 14 Civilians in Mon which let went everyone berserk and the terrible killings of innocent miners has been denounced by national political parties, and the state government.

The AFSPA gives unbridled power to security forces to kill anyone acting in contravention of law, and arrest anyone without any prior warrant and have immunity from prosecution.

Protests for the withdrawal of the AFSPA have been going on in several districts of Nagaland after the tragic incident provoked anger and indignation.