IMPHAL, February 25: Inner Manipur MP Dr Thokchom Meinya has urged the Union Government, particularly, the Home Ministry to repeal AFSPA, 1958 immediately in the zero hour of the Lok Sabha today.
`I rise to raise an important issue about the repeal of the infamous Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958. I am supported by the fact that the Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee appointed in 2005 has recommended the repeal of the Act,` the MP said in the Lok Sabha.
He further said the report of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2007), headed by the former Union Minister, Dr M Veerappa Moily, has recommended the repeal of the Act and at the same time, the present Vice-President of the country Hamid Ansari as Chairman of the Working Group on Confidence-Building Measures in Jammu & Kashmir has also recommended repeal of the Act.
Lately, once again, the Justice JS Verma Committee, set up to suggest amendments to laws relating to crimes against women, has recommended and I quote:
`There is an imminent need to review the continuance of the AFSPA and AFSPA-like legal protocols in internal conflict areas as soon as possible.`
So, now, time has come to revisit the AFSPA, he said.
`I urge upon the Union Government, particularly, the Home Ministry to repeal this AFSPA, 1958 immediately,` he added.