By TCN News,
New Delhi: Another protest against the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is going to be organized by Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign, AISA, AIPWA, RYA, DSF, JNUSU, NEFIS, NAPM and other like-minded groups, which will be in the form of a march from Mandi House metro station to Jantar Mantar at 1 PM on 30th March. After the march, there will also be a public meeting at Jantar Mantar.
The AFSPA, for removing which a number of protests and rallies have happened with no actual action from the government, rules over eight states in India, the major parts being Kashmir and Assam. With its provision of unrestrained power – shoot at sight, arrest without warrant, search and destroy public property on mere suspicion and legal impunity to the armed forces, AFSPA has led to extra-judicial killings, rapes, torture and fake encounters in these states. Yet, AFSPA has been existing for 60 years now. It has been 14 years now that Irom Sharmila, a Manipuri activist, has been on a hunger-strike against AFSPA but while her heroic struggle is challenging the conscience of people across the world, her own Government remains unmoved. Almost all major parties in the country have been silent about the everyday horror in these states.
But this silence needs to be broken. In the wake of the coming elections, the organizers have decided to create a political pressure for the repeal of AFSPA, through this march.