-The Hindustan Times Enacted in 1958 to deal with the Naga uprising in the then composite state of Assam, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) was reviewed by the Justice BP Jeevan Reddy Committee in 2005, which recommended that it be scrapped. The Reddy report remains untabled in Parliament, despite the recent outcry, triggered by the Justice Verma Committee’s view that the Act needs to be reviewed (in the light...
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I love life… if AFSPA is repealed I’ll take food again: Irom Sharmila-Jiby Kattakayam
-The Hindu Fasting Manipuri activist refuses to plead guilty to suicide attempt charge Manipur’s Irom Chanu Sharmila on Monday pleaded not guilty before a court here to the charge of “attempting to commit suicide” during a fast-unto-death she undertook at Jantar Mantar in 2006. She told the court that she would not give up her fast until the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) was repealed. Metropolitan Magistrate Akash Jain told her: “Madam,...
More »Sharmila Charged With Attempting Suicide in 2006 Fast
-Outlook A Delhi court today framed charges against Irom Sharmila Chanu, who has been on fast for about 12 years demanding repeal of controversial AFSPA, for allegedly attempting to commit suicide during her 'fast until death' here in 2006. Metropolitan Magistrate (MM) Akash Jain framed charges against 40-year-old Chanu under section 309 (attempting to commit suicide) of the IPC after she refused to plead guilty, saying that her's was a non-violent protest. Putting...
More »Work in Progress-SL Rao
-The Telegraph The world lauds us as the largest democracy. Yet, how much of a democracy are we and where must we improve? Elections and their consequences: We have regular elections. They are supervised with increasing effectiveness as far as booth capturing, bogus voters and violence are concerned. The influence of money has not waned; if anything, it has increased. It is not as it used to be, for paying voters only....
More »Protests, the Justice Verma Committee and the Government Ordinance-Albeena Shakil
-Economic and Political Weekly The government’s response to the protests led by the youth against the gang rape incident in New Delhi, in the form of an ordinance has not met the aspirations of the many protestors and the woman rights’ organisations. It can in fact be accused of being vindictive, having ignored the thoroughgoing recommendations of the government appointed justice Verma committee's report. Albeena Shakil (albeenashakil@gmail.com) is a women rights’ activist...
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