Nagaland MP says AFSPA doesn’t befit world’s largest democracy

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Feb. 24 (EMN): Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, KG Kenye on Thursday said there are certain issues like the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) that don’t befit the world’s largest democracy and land of Mahatma Gandhi’s ahimsa.

He was addressing the 9th Biennial General Conference 2022 as guest speaker held at Jubilee Memorial Centre, Lerie Colony Kohima on the theme “For Fairness and Justice” hosted by Kohima Law College.

The MP stated that it is an irony for a nation whose freedom was achieved through non-violence to apply brute force on its people, while questioning the country for celebrating the draconian law in the land of Ahimsa.

Maintaining that AFSPA should be removed, Kenye said the legal fraternity should take the lead in organising workshops on the Act, to educated the people about it, saying that ‘ignorance is not an excuse’.

He also lamented people being ‘too casual and not taking things seriously’.

Reiterating his stand on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), he said there the CAB 2016 and CAB 2019 are different and that the state is safe from the purview of the influx of immigrants due to the revised bill which became an Act.

The MP went on to say that law as a profession still remains an uncharted territory in Nagaland.

 “Law is the essence of governance; there’s no governance which is lawless,” he said.

He pointed out that the quality of the society is depicted by the refined mentality of the people and it is best to study about the citizens abiding its authority through law. 

Meanwhile, he expounded on the uniqueness of Article 371 (A) which has special provisions for Nagaland and maintained that the people of the state were not conversant on the special provisions.

In this regard, he urged the legal fraternity to enlighten the people about the Article as well as be well versed with the customary laws and practices.

Director General of Prison, Home Guards, Civil Defence and SDRF, Rupin Sharma said ‘Nagaland is a society of throes of change which is the throes of future shock’, while people still linger in the mindset of the past which is no longer relevant.

He pointed out the need for the younger generation to adapt to change for good.

He also mooted for a need for the Nagaland University to have a law campus and produce more legal professionals.

Meanwhile, Secretary (Judicial) Department of Justice and Law, Nino Iralu told the gathering to treat all people with fairness and justice, the main principles of liberty and equality.

In his presidential address, C Talimoa pointed out the need for a separate High Court and Directorate of Prosecution in the state.

Special songs were presented by the Kohima Law College and Sweven.