Question map
Which one of the following States has seen a series of strong public protests against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in force in that State ?
Explanation
Manipur has witnessed a series of intense and sustained public protests against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). A pivotal moment occurred in 2004 following the killing of Thangjam Manorama by the Assam Rifles, which led to a network of 32 organizations forming the 'Apunba Lup' to campaign for the act's repeal [t4]. One of the most significant forms of resistance is the hunger strike by activist Irom Chanu Sharmila, which lasted for nearly sixteen years starting in November 2000 [t4]. While AFSPA has been applied in other regions like Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland [t1][t3][t5], the specific 'series of strong public protests'—including the iconic 2004 demonstrations and Sharmila's long-term struggle—is most prominently associated with Manipur in the context of civil society mobilization [t4][t6]. The act grants broad powers to security forces, including the power to shoot to kill and immunity from prosecution, which has fueled these deep-seated grievances [t3][t5].
Sources
- [1] https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/wps/2021/09/02/militarised-violence-and-womens-resistance-in-manipur-india/
- [2] https://www.amnesty.org/ar/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/asa200252005en.pdf