NEW DELHI, Oct 30 ? In a significant move ahead of next week?s talks, the Centre has expressed its willingness to accept the demand of a major agitating group in Manipur to lift the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act if the same was ?agreeable? to all sections of the society, reports PTI.
A high-level delegation of Apunba Lup, an amalgam of 32 social organisations and groups in the state, is reaching here on Monday to hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Shivraj Patil, highly placed sources told PTI here today.
?The government will convey to them that it does not have a problem in accepting their demand for lifting of AFPSA. We are willing to do it if it is agreeable to all sections of the society,? the sources said.
They said the delegation, comprising 10 -12 top members of the group, is likely to meet Singh on November 1 and Patil on November 3 as the Home Minister will not be in the capital on November 2. The group has already held talks with the state Governor S S Sindhu and other senior government officials.
However, the sources said besides talking about the demands of Apunba Lup, the Central Government will also take up issues such as the group?s positive contribution in maintaining law and order in the state. The group spearheaded a nearly two-month-long agitation demanding withdrawal of AFSPA following the death of one Manorama Devi in the custody of Assam Rifles in the state.
While the two demands ? one for investigation in the killing of Manorama Devi and another for withdrawal of the Assam Rifles personnel from the historic Kangla Fort in the state ? had been accepted by the government, their main demand for withdrawal of the controversial Act was not immediately accepted with the Centre maintaining that the same could be done only after the situation permitted.