Well, the establishment continues to claim that law and order has improved in the Northeast region in the past few years and it was precisely why the Centre has ordered the operational jurisdiction of AFSPA in several areas.
Earlier, the government had removed AFSPA entirely from Meghalaya and partially from Arunachal Pradesh. In March, 2018, the MHA ordered removal of AFSPA from Meghalaya completely and from eight police station areas bordering Assam in Arunachal Pradesh. A year later, this was further reduced to just four police stations.
Arunachal currently has three districts with AFSPA apart from these four police stations and it was withdrawn from 60 pc of Assam. In the case of Manipur, AFSPA had been lifted from only 15 police stations, including the six within the Greater Imphal area and it was withdrawn in the previous Congress regime.
Now, nine more police stations in the valley districts have been excluded from AFSPA operations.
The Act remains in force in all the hill districts irrespective of whether it adjoins the international boundary. Although there is an ongoing ceasefire with NSCN (I-M) and Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the Kuki militant groups, things are not that smooth it seems.
Well then, why should the government be so worrisome if the law and order situation has improved and insurgency activities have come down drastically?
There is also no indication of a threat perception with regard to outstation or foreign tourists coming to participate in the Sangai festival, this time. So far, no threats had been issued by the underground outfits.
The reason perhaps is that, the security apparatus here in Manipur is yet to come out of the security cocoon that it had imprisoned itself in the previous decades of unrest and insecurity.
Foreign visitors to the state had in the past questioned the presence of uniformed police and security personnel everywhere they go, while journalists from outside the state had written about it numerous times.
And here, during the Sangai festival the state is endeavouring to attract more tourist footfall by showcasing varied facets of the state and its communities at various venues.
What kind of message are we sending out to the probable tourists with the outright display of armed police and security personnel and detailing them to guide the tourists?
If the state tourism directorate lacks in staff strength, including professional guides, it must be brought to the notice of the government or the job of tourist guides could be outsourced during such festivals.
The state certainly needs to revisit its attitude and priorities in this regard.
