After the Oting incident, the Nagaland assembly resolved to demand a repeal of AFSPA.
A committee will be formed to look into the withdrawal of the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Nagaland, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio tweeted after a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah this afternoon. The demand for the withdrawal of the law -- which gives a wide range of powers to the army -- had surged in the state after 14 civilians died earlier this month in a botched operation by the army in Mon district and the retaliatory violence. Protest marches were held across the state, including in state capital Kohima.
"Briefed the media with regard to the meeting chaired by Hon'ble @HMOIndia Shri @AmitShah on Dec' 23, 2021 in New Delhi. Grateful to Amit Shah ji for taking up the matter with utmost seriousness. The State Govt. appeals to all sections to continue to maintain a peaceful atmosphere," read the tweet by Mr Rio.
At the meeting, which was also attended by Himanta Biswa Sarma -- the Assam Chief Minister and the BJP's pointsperson in the northeast -- it was also decided that the committee will be comprise Centre and stae government officials and the state police. The committee will submit its report within 45 days and the withdrawal of AFSPA will be based on its recommendations.
In a statement, the government also said that a Court of Enquiry will initiate disciplinary proceedings against the army unit and personnel involved in the Oting incident. "The identified persons who will face inquiry will be suspended immediately," the statement read.
The state, it added, will provide jobs to the families of the people who died.
The Congress, which had sent a fact-finding team to Nagaland, demanded immediate resignation of the Home Minister, accusing him of "lying to parliament and the nation". The party has also demanded an ex gratia of Rs 1 crore for every family that lost a member. They have also demanded that a Special Investigation Team be formed to work under a sitting judge of the Gauhati High Court.
Chemwang Konyak from Oting, who lost his son in the incident, said: "The government had offered compensation. Now they are offering job. But all this will not give us our son back... we want the government to come clean and give us the truth with evidence how our youths, our sons got killed".
In a statement, the army requested the people to have patience. "The inquiry ordered by Army is progressing expeditiously and all efforts are being made to conclude it at the earliest... The Indian Army is also fully cooperating with the Special Investigation Team," the statement read.
Last week, the Nagaland assembly unanimously resolved to demand a repeal of AFSPA from the northeast, especially the state.
Mr Rio led the Assembly in passing the resolution at a special session.
"Nagaland and the Naga people have always opposed AFSPA. It should be repealed," the Chief Minister had said days after the violence, in a searing attack on what he called the "draconian law".
Nagaland is not the only state demanding the repeal of AFSPA.
After the Oting incident, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, whose National People's Party is a member of the National Democratic Alliance, also called for its repeal, saying AFSPA is counter-productive and has caused "more unrest".