AFSPA removed from 65 per cent of geographical area of Assam: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

With insurgent activities on the wane and crime rate coming down, Assam’s record in maintaining law and order has been “excellent” in recent years, said Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who holds the Home portfolio, while addressing a ‘Chintan Shivir on Internal Security', chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, at Surajkund in Haryana on October 27. 

While highlighting that no major insurgency-related incident took place in Assam in recent years, CM Sarma said Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) too had been withdrawn from 65 per cent geographical area of the state.  

The Assam chief minister also dwelt on the “proactive implementation” of the Bodo Accord and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. He said that though a new Bodo militant outfit in the name and style of ULB was formed on 15 September 2021, all the cadres of the outfit surrendered on 29 September 2021 due to the proactive actions of the police.

Similarly, the Chief Minister added that police actions led to the surrender of the Chairman and Deputy C-in-C of DNLA, another Bodo militant outfit, along with other cadres. The state government later signed a ceasefire agreement with the outfit on 20 October 2021. Besides,164 cadres of the National Liberation Front of Bodoland (NLFB), also a Bodo insurgent outfit, and a senior Maoist cadre surrendered on 28 September last year. 

The Chief Minister, while underlining the achievements of Assam Police, termed it as a “professional police force with a glorious past” being decorated with the coveted 'Presidential Colours' in May this year. 

CM Sarma later tweeted: “Honoured to share my ideas on bolstering internal security at Chintan Shivir of States’ HMs chaired by Adarniya Union HM Shri@Amit Shahji at Surajkund, Haryana. Held in the true spirit of collaborative federalism, such exchanges help widen our perspectives and boost policing.” 

Honoured to share my ideas on bolstering internal security at Chintan Shivir of States' HMs chaired by Adarniya Union HM Shri @AmitShah ji at Surajkund, Haryana.

Held in the true spirit of collaborative federalism, such exchanges help widen our perspectives and boost policing. pic.twitter.com/hyEQrPX5kg

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) October 27, 2022

The first-ever 'Chintan Shivir' (introspection session) organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs is being attended by several Chief Ministers, who also holds the Home portfolio, deputy CMs, state home ministers, lieutenant governors and administrators of UTs as well as home secretaries and police chiefs to provide a common platform to discuss ways to deal with internal security challenges as part of 'Vision 2047' outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address.