NEW DELHI, July 1 - Moving along expected lines, the Centre on Tuesday declared the entire State of Nagaland as �disturbed area� for a further period of six months till December-end.
In a notification, the Union Home Ministry said the Central Government is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole Nagaland is in such a disturbed and dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary.
�Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (No. 28 of 1958), the Central Government hereby declares that whole of the said State to be a �disturbed area� for a period of six months with effect from 30th June, 2020 for the purpose of that Act,� the Union Home Ministry said.
Nagaland has been under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) for almost six decades, which was not withdrawn even after a framework agreement was signed on August 3, 2015, by NSCN (I-M) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and government interlocutor RN Ravi in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The decision to maintain the status quo in Nagaland regarding coverage of the AFSPA, a law slammed by many civil society groups as �draconian�, came amid reports of deteriorating law-and-order situation there. The AFSPA gives the armed forces sweeping powers to search and arrest, and to open fire if they deem it necessary for �the maintenance of public order�.
Significantly, the Central Government�s move comes close on the heels of the controversial letter written by Governor RN Ravi to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who is an NDA ally.
Expressing his dismay at the deteriorating law and order, Ravi, in his June 16 letter, had given a detailed assessment of the situation. The letter stated that he (Ravi) would exercise his power as Governor provided under Article 371 (A) of the Constitution, since the Government has miserably failed in a sensitive border State, reports said. Ravi also proposed periodical review of the law-and-order situation in the State.