Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has attacked the Modi Government, asking what the home ministry was doing when “neither civilians nor security personnel are safe in our own land.” Police in Nagaland are investigating and the Army — which tendered “deep regret”— ordered a court of inquiry into the killings of the civilians. The Army said the operation was carried out based on credible intelligence and that the “incident” is being probed “at the highest level.” The fact remains the Centre cannot afford to take action against the Army for the “botched” operation. The Centre cannot risk “demoralization” of the soldiers, especially when Naga insurgency refuses to end on an accommodating note. The killings have put a question mark on “peace talks.” The question is, why is the Modi Government shying away from ‘surgical strikes’ into Myanmar? The Yung Aung faction of the banned National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) operates from within Myanmar. The Modi Government will not intervene in AFSPA. The “special powers” of AFSPA do not give “total immunity” to the armed forces, but human rights have been rendered null and void by these very “special powers.” AFSPA gives armed forces the power to use force/open fire on lawbreakers on “reasonable suspicion.” AFSPA is a special law for “disturbed areas.” It is in force in Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, 3 districts of Arunachal Pradesh and in Jammu and Kashmir. It does not give the Army the license to kill, but “take any action” is taken for license to kill. The judiciary has intervened several times and said that immunity is not absolute. Calls to repeal AFSPA have been regular and insistent. AIMIM leader Assaduddin Owaisi repeated the call on December 6, 2021. Earlier, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio demanded the removal of AFSPA. Later, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, seconded. Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool is unapologetic in its opposition. But it is unlikely that AFSPA will be kicked out anytime soon. (IPA Service)Views are personal
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