ITANAGAR: Chief minister Nabam Tuki is upset over the extention of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the state and has stated that the union government has “silently extended” the “harsh act” without consulting the state government.

He added that the centre appears keen to deal with the insurgency in border areas on its own.

Tuki said that the central government could have tightened security in areas of the state that border Nagaland and Assam instead of extending the “harsh act in the entire state.”

“The movement of insurgents is in these areas and not the mainland of Arunachal Pradesh,” Tuki said.

Tuki, who heads a Congress government in the state, said that there was an increase in the number of insurgent camps in areas bordering Nagaland and Assam but there has not been any increase in insurgent activity in other parts of the state.

AFSPA has been in force in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts of Arunachal Pradesh since 1991 after they were categorized as disturbed areas. It was subsequently extended to a 20-km belt in districts that share borders with Assam.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government, extended the controversial AFSPA to other areas of Arunchal Pradesh in an order last month.

(With inputs from agencies)