Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh accompanied by his cabinet ministers has expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reportedly announcing that the Centre is working towards lifting of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the Northeast region as law and order situation has improved.
N. Biren Singh has expressed he along with the State cabinet ministers have discussed the comment of the Prime Minister and “sincerely appreciated the comment and conviction of the Hon’ble Prime Minister who is trying relentlessly to revoke the AFSPA from the Northeastern part of the country”. It is the common desire of the people to revoke, remove the act from the NE particularly from Manipur, he added.
Highlighting that the Union Home Minister had recently removed the Act from the jurisdiction of some police stations, however some areas were left out, the Chief Minister said that his government as a team is urging the Prime Minister to materialise the issue as per the desire of the people of the State and the people of the Northeast.
Biren then said, “We will be very grateful to the Hon’ble Prime Minister if the AFSPA can be lifted from the entire North East particularly from Manipur”. He added, “Once again from our side we would like to thank the Hon’ble Prime Minister for his deep concern for the people of the Northeast”.
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The Chief Minister also acknowledged the “presence of various insurgent groups” and said some are in Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the government, and some are not and that the State government is initiating to bring them all to the negotiating table “so that a political solution, an amicable solution can be reached”.
Stressing that the Prime Minister had “rightly” said that 75 percent of “insurgency” has been reduced in the entire NE region, he said it is because of Modi’s tireless and visionary action plan since 2014 when he became the Prime Minister of the country.
Biren also said that people of the “Northeast once had the feeling of alienation from mainland India, but now the region has become an integral part of the country and the people of the region don’t have the feeling of alienation now and have become a part of united India”.
The Chief Minister then said all this is because of the Prime Minister’s effort, developmental works, humanity service, schemes, benefits. “The Prime Minister is doing whatever he can for the NE people”, while adding that he along with his team would like to appreciate Narendra Modi “for his work also”.
NNN
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