IMPHAL, May 29 – A youth front on Saturday threatened to launch a series of agitations if Manipur Government failed to revoke its decision to extend disturbed area status of the state under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 from June 1. Talking to mediapersons here, president of Manipur Forward Youth Front (MFYF), Sapamcha Kangleipal said the organisation would call an 18-hour ‘general strike’ from midnight of Sunday to lodge protest against the state government’s decision.
Condemning state Cabinet’s decision last week to prolong the disturbed area status, Kangleipal said it was “very unfortunate” that the leaders had turned a deaf ear to the long-standing demand of the people to lift the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from the state. Official sources said the government had on Thursday last decided to extend the disturbed area status in the state in view of the “worsening law and order situation”.
Kangleipal alleged that the security forces in the name of tracking down insurgents or dealing with armed extremists had killed several innocent people over the years by “misusing the provisions” of the Act.
In a statement, the Students Federation of India Manipur State Council also strongly condemned the government decision. The Act was first imposed in September 1980 providing extra powers to security forces. It has been on extension from time to time to deal with insurgents.