NEW DELHI, November 15: The day of November 14 reminds us as the “Children’s Day” and educates the people what Nehru had done for the people of the northeast region. However, from Nehru to Narendra Modi, all the Prime Ministers of India have committed to impose Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) 1958 in the region and have been exploiting people under this law, said Manipur Student’s Association Delhi (MSAD) in a press release.
MSAD further stated in the press release that Narendra Modi has been travelling around the world and busy in meeting across the Indian Diaspora communities but he has no time to meet Irom Sharmila Chanu, which eventually has shown the hypocritic nature of the rulers of the Indian state without an exception.
In the parliamentary debate on August 23, 1956, Nehru made a statement like “I should like the house to remember that they should look at this in the larger context of our general policy in these areas, not only in Naga Hills but in the NEFA (Arunachal Pradesh) and neighboring areas. Many of these areas were for the first time brought under some kind of administration during the last six to eight years” (Nehru’s speech: 1953-57: 490), said the press release.
It said, the statement had shown that Nehru was not only interested in the Naga Hills but wanted a ‘general policy’ for all areas in the Northeast. He further said, “We had to send some of our forces with rifles and we did it without fuss. But we proceeded slowly, because we had the object of winning them over and not merely crushing them. We had of course to shoot some because they shot at us.” He added, “Our instruction is that patience must be exercised because we want to win over these people, but make it clear to the hostile that a person who used his gun against us will be met with gun and army can’t be withdrawn” (Nehru’s speech: August 23, 1956).
Nehru had already presumed that the State was at war with the people of the region and it reflected the content of India’s general policies in the region at that time. Nehru’s mind and attitude towards the region could be understood from the statement he made on August 23, 1956, which was two years before AFSPA was passed in 1958, said the press release.
MSAD also stated in the press release that AFSPA is one of the most draconian legislations made by Nehru as a Prime Minister of India in 1958 as a gift to the racially different people of India to suppress and oppress the mind and body of the people as a bondage to the martial law.
November 14 is a day which is not meant to be a day of celebration for the children where sweets are distributed, instead it is the day for condolence as to remember the architect of AFSPA which has been producing thousands of widows, orphanages, survivor of rapes, disappearances and killing of people, said MSAD in the press release.