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Nagaland civilian killings: TMC MPs to meet Amit Shah today, seek Centre's stance on repeal of AFSPA
The delegation, which will comprise eight MPs the Mamata Banerjee-headed party, will also submit to Shah memorandum seeking financial compensation for the families of the civilians.
As the chorus against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) contiues to rise in the wake of the Nagaland civilian killings, a delegation of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs will meet Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday to urge the Union government to present its stance over the repeal of the contentious law.
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The delegation will comprise eight MPs from the Mamata Banerjee-headed party, news agency ANI reported, citing sources from the Trinamool. The leaders will also submit to Shah a memorandum seeking financial compensation for the families of the 14 civilians who lost their lives in the northeastern state.
Demands seeking withdrawal of AFSPA, which grants special powers to armed forces operating in ‘disturbed areas,’ have risen yet again following the Nagaland incident, in which 13 civilians, all of whom were miners, were killed last Saturday by security forces in Mon district. The central government and the Army have both described the killings as a case of ‘mistaken identity’ and expressed regret for it.
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Another civilian died on Sunday, as enraged locals attacked a camp of the Assam Rifles. The Army, too, suffered a casualty, as a jawan died on Saturday after being attacked by villagers post the botched operation.
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Neiphiu Rio, the Nagaland chief minister, and Conrad Sangma, his Meghalaya counterpart, are among voices which have demanded that Afspa be removed from all of northeast. The Nagaland government said on Tuesday it will write to the Union home ministry, seeking repeal of the controversial law.
