Union Home Minister Amit Shah is on a three-day Assam visit, to attend Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government's first anniversary celebrations, and travel to the India-Bangladesh border.
"India has been successful in giving out the message that terrorism will be strongly dealt with. We will not hesitate to cross borders if the country is targeted from outside," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated.
The AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations and arrest anyone without any prior warrant. It also gives immunity to the forces if they shoot someone dead.
The Centre's decision to extend AFSPA in Nagaland by six months came days after the government constituted a high-level committee to examine the possibility of the withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.
"The Govt of Assam in exercise of powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 has declared the entire state of Assam as 'Disturbed Area' up to 6 months with effect from 28-08-2021 unless withdrawn earlier," the statement said.
The Centre on Monday declared the whole of Nagaland as a "disturbed" area under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, for a further period of six months. A gazette notification said the Centre was of the opinion that the area comprising whole of Nagaland is in such a disturbed condition that the use of armed forces in aid of civil power is necessary.
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act has been in force in Nagaland for several decades.
Withdrawal of the AFSPA will surely create a new perception of the prevailing security situation in Assam as the army would then be relieved from counter-insurgency operations in the state after 29 consecutive years.
The ruling party has slammed Congress's poll manifesto as "dangerous and unimplementable". It has alleged that the promises made by the Congress on repealing and reviewing certain laws related to national security was akin to an agenda of India's "Balkanisation".
After 32 years, the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, which gives sweeping powers to security forces, was partially removed from three of nine districts of Arunachal Pradesh but would remain in force in the areas bordering Myanmar, officials said here.
In a notification, the Home Ministry said the central government is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole of state of Nagaland is in such a disturbed and dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of civilian power is necessary.
According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts of Arunachal Pradesh and eight police stations bordering Assam were declared "disturbed" areas under the AFSPA.
The plea said the registration of FIR and prosecution of Army personnel was against the provisions of AFSPA as they grant immunity to them against the prosecution for actions performed during official duties.
The fresh plea of the state government assumes significance as the apex court had on March 5 halted its probe into the Shopian firing incident, involving a senior army officer, Major Aditya Kumar, in which three civilians were killed.
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, which empowers security forces to conduct operations, arrest anyone anywhere without prior notice, has been removed from all areas of Meghalaya from March 31, the Home Ministry said.
"I have a clearly point of view for as much autonomy as possible for the local people (of the northeastern states)," Tharoor said, calling for much attention to the needs and sensitivities of each area in the region.
The act gives the security forces special rights and immunity in carrying out various operations in disturbed areas.
The move to allow the state government to exercise the powers under the AFSPA came at a time when both the central and the Assam governments are ruled by the BJP.
Entire Nagaland has been declared as "disturbed area" for six more months under the AFSPA.
A day after the hacking of an RSS office bearer, the BJP today sought the imposition of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in Kannur.
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