New Delhi: Former Home Minister P Chidambaram today hailed the Tripura government's decision to withdraw the AFSPA from the state, saying it is a victory for sanity and humanity.
“My plea to repeal AFSPA heard in Tripura. AFSPA withdrawn. Victory for sanity and humanity,” he wrote on microblogging site Twitter.
Chidambaram had strongly advocated, as Union Home Minister, for repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.
“Some things do not have a place in a civilised country. One of them is AFSPA,” he had said recently.
The Tripura government yesterday decide to lift AFSPA from the state, where the controversial law was in effect for the last 18 years to curb insurgency.
Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said the state government had reviewed the situation of the disturbed areas of the state after every six months and also discussed the issue with the state police and other security forces working in the state.
“They suggested that there is no requirement of the Act now as the insurgency problem has largely been contained. We would soon issue gazette notification in this regard,” Sarkar said.
The Act was imposed in the state on February 16, 1997 following spurt of violence by the ultras.
