DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 21 (MExN): Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha from Nagaland, KG Kenye called on the President of India, Ramnath Kovind at New Delhi recently and took up various issues concerning the State of Nagaland and the region.
A press communiqué issued by PRO to the Rajya Sabha MP said Kenye sought the consent of the President to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) which was passed in the year 1942 by the British India Colonial to suppress the Independence movement of Quite India Movement.
In 1948, AFSPA which is considered as “Draconian Law” was discussed in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights with members of the United Nations popularly known as Geneva Convention and declared not to formulate this kind of Act where India was one of the signatories.
However, after ten years of the declaration, the Indian government has promulgated this Act upon the State of Nagaland against its own citizens which is being enforced till today, Kenye conveyed to the President.
On Article 371(A), Kenye lamented that the Centre is not implementing this Article in letter and in spirit and sought the intervention of the President to allow the State to explore its own natural recourses especially oil and natural gas as the State is economically very weak.
The MP also observed that down grading the North East Council (NEC) into a Research Institute will completely defeat the original policy of the Centre and therefore impressed upon the President to upgrade the NEC in every aspect for better administrative and general development programmes for the region.
On the Indo-Naga political problem, Kenye urged the Government of India to seize the present situation to bring about an honourable and acceptable settlement so as to avoid further bi-products which has the potential to over shadow the main issue.
The MP also requested the President to take up with the Centre to establish a state of the art International Airport in Nagaland to which the President assured the MP to consider the proposal on priority.
