Amit Shah Announces Potential Withdrawal of AFSPA from Northeast India
A Historic Announcement on AFSPA
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressing the BSF personnel at Lankamura Border Outpost on the India-Bangladesh Border in Tripura (Photo: @AmitShah/X)
New Delhi, June 12: On Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) is set to be lifted from most of the North East region next year, with the exception of one or two states.
During the signing of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) involving the Centre, Assam, and Nagaland, aimed at facilitating mineral oil operations along the Assam-Nagaland border, Shah emphasized that the reduction of areas under AFSPA signifies a move towards peace.
“I am optimistic that we will be able to withdraw AFSPA from the entire North East next year, except for one or two states,” he stated.
Shah described the MoU signing as a “historic moment,” indicating that it has cleared the final obstacle in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a developed North East. This agreement focuses on oil and mineral exploration in the disputed area belt (DAB) along the Assam-Nagaland border.
He also highlighted that since Narendra Modi assumed office, he has prioritized the North East, becoming the Prime Minister with the most visits to the region.
According to Shah, since 2019, twelve accords have been established between various groups and state governments, leading to a remarkable 80 percent reduction in violence incidents in the area.