NEW DELHI, May 6 � In a U-turn, the Centre has denied having extended the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) to all districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
In order to control the anti-national and criminal activities of various militant groups including NDFB(S), ULFA(I) and NSCN(K), various districts of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Assam were declared as disturbed areas under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 for a brief period, said Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju.
�Now, only the areas falling under the jurisdiction of 16 police stations in various districts of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Assam have been declared as disturbed areas along with the whole of Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts, for a period of six months,� Rijiju said in a Rajya Sabha reply.
Itanagar Correspondent adds: In a big relief for the people of Arunachal Pradesh, the State�s apex students� body AAPSU claimed in a release today that Rijiju has already rolled back the �controversial� AFSPA from Arunachal.
�We have already rolled back the extension of AFSPA from Arunachal. However, the AFSPA will remain in the State as it was since 1990s but with reduced radius of operation from 20 km,� Rijiju told the All Arunachal Pradesh Students� Union (AAPSU) delegation which called on him at New Delhi on Sunday last. He said, �AFSPA was extended to nine districts of Arunachal Pradesh (in addition to the three districts of Tirap, Changlang and Longding) on March 27 last only for specified purpose and time.
NEW DELHI, May 6 � In a U-turn, the Centre has denied having extended the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) to all districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
In order to control the anti-national and criminal activities of various militant groups including NDFB(S), ULFA(I) and NSCN(K), various districts of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Assam were declared as disturbed areas under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 for a brief period, said Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju.
�Now, only the areas falling under the jurisdiction of 16 police stations in various districts of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Assam have been declared as disturbed areas along with the whole of Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts, for a period of six months,� Rijiju said in a Rajya Sabha reply.
Itanagar Correspondent adds: In a big relief for the people of Arunachal Pradesh, the State�s apex students� body AAPSU claimed in a release today that Rijiju has already rolled back the �controversial� AFSPA from Arunachal.
�We have already rolled back the extension of AFSPA from Arunachal. However, the AFSPA will remain in the State as it was since 1990s but with reduced radius of operation from 20 km,� Rijiju told the All Arunachal Pradesh Students� Union (AAPSU) delegation which called on him at New Delhi on Sunday last. He said, �AFSPA was extended to nine districts of Arunachal Pradesh (in addition to the three districts of Tirap, Changlang and Longding) on March 27 last only for specified purpose and time.
