Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the significant reduction in areas under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), marking a major shift towards peace in the state.
In a recent statement, the Chief Minister noted that for more than three decades, Assam remained under AFSPA as violence and conflicts were widespread across the state. However, he said, the situation began to change in 2022, when efforts by the state government helped restore peace in most districts.
“From 1990 to 2022, violence dominated Assam, and the entire state was under AFSPA. Now, from 2022 onwards, peace has returned as AFSPA has been gradually withdrawn from almost all districts,” Sarma said.
The CM credited the state’s “Double Engine Government” for its initiatives that led to the easing of security restrictions, signaling a new era of stability and normalcy in Assam after decades of unrest.
"But it all changed in 2022, as peace efforts of the Double Engine Govt bore fruit and AFSPA was lifted from almost all districts, signaling the rise of a peaceful Assam," he added.
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, or AFSPA, gives the military broad authority in areas declared “disturbed.” Under this law, armed forces can search, arrest, and even open fire if they believe it’s necessary to maintain public order.
AFSPA was first imposed across Assam in 1990, during the peak of insurgency by the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). Since then, the law has been extended every six months, though some areas have been removed from its coverage after periodic reviews of the local law and order situation.