Manipur Elections 2022: Why AFSPA has become an important poll issue this time

In the 2017 elections, rights activist Irom Sharmila, who fasted for 16 long years to get AFSPA repealed, got only 90 votes. (Photo: Reuters)

The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958, is becoming a hot election issue in Manipur this time.

 Though the Act has been at the heart of many controversies and has led to violent protests in the state, parties have never raised it during polls before.

Manipur will vote in two phases – on February 28 and March 5 – to elect a new Assembly of 60 members.

 The AFSPA has been in force in Manipur for over three decades now. It was enforced on the ground that the state is declared a disturbed area.

Rights activist Irom Sharmila, who fasted for 16 long years to get AFSPA repealed, fought the election in 2017 with this as the main agenda. The ‘Iron Lady’, however, got only 90 votes. Najima Bibi, another anti-AFSPA activist, got even less. 

Read also: The 10 constituencies that could decide the Manipur polls

 Why AFSPA is an election issue now

 “AFSPA is a binding issue for the whole of the north-east,” said human rights activist and anti-AFSPA crusader Babloo Loitongbam.

 Last year, when in Oting, Nagaland, 13 villagers were killed by paramilitary forces, it re-ignited the demand for AFSPA repeal across north-eastern states. The chief ministers of Nagaland and Meghalaya publicly called for its repeal.

 “Anything to do with AFSPA repeal will resonate with the public in Manipur” said Loitongbam. The sad thing, though, is “it is basically to garner votes,” he said.

 The new momentum also has to do with image makeover of certain politicians.

 According to Loitongbam, for three-time Congress CM Okram Ibobi, who has been at the centre of the AFSPA controversies during his tenure, and former state DGP and National People’s Party (NPP) leader Yumnam Joykumar, who is said to be behind several fake encounter cases, need an image makeover.

 “They really do need an image makeover and they need to get votes,” said Loitongbam.

 Singer- composer and rights activist Akhu Chingabam said that the issue of AFSPA is beyond election and should not be limited to just manifestos. “It is the duty of the elected representatives to work for the repeal of the Act,” he said.

 The Nagaland Assembly, in December last year, passed a unanimous resolution, seeking the repeal of AFSPA, 1958, and decided to take up the matter with the Centre for the immediate repeal of the law.

 Partners divided

 The alliance partners in Manipur’s outgoing government, the BJP and the Naga People’s Front (NPF), seem to be sticking together on this issue. The ruling alliance is led by BJP Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh.

But alliance partner NPP, appears to be leaning towards the opposition Congress, perhaps in a move to walk out of the previous alliance and form a new partner.

In fact, the NPP was the first to release a manifesto calling for the repeal of AFSPA.

Read also: In a militancy-ridden constituency, a newbie calls for change

Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma, the chief of NPP, has categorically stated that the manifesto is a clear-cut stand. Sangma’s call that “AFSPA should be repealed” was supported by other parties in the Meghalaya Assembly as well.

The Congress, too, has made the repeal of the Act an election plank this time. The party, which was in power for more than two decades, had not made any remark on the Act or demanded its removal in election manifestos earlier.

Janata Dal (U), a relatively new entrant in the electoral arena in Manipur, has also come out with a manifesto calling for the removal of AFSPA.

The BJP is banking on Manipur’s popular election slogan “territorial integrity”. The Congress had used it for decades to ride to power. The slogan, particularly, sinks well with voters in the valley – unreserved seats and predominantly non-tribals.

Territorial integrity is one of the most important issues and subjects of public discourse in Manipur ever since the Naga peace talks began.

The NPF, too, is mum on AFSPA. It focuses on peace, the Naga political issue and peace talks in particular.

Why BJP is silent

Senior journalist Pradip Phanjoubam says the reason for the BJP not mentioning AFSPA in its manifesto is that that the state cannot repeal the Act on its own. The manifesto, which obviously came from the central leadership, shows that the Centre is not ready to repeal the Act.

AFSPA is an Act passed by Parliament and not a legislation enacted by the state assembly.