New Delhi: Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee today (Aug 10, 2004) said there was no move to withdraw Assam Rifles from Manipur as demanded by the agitationists there and indicated that the Armed forces Special Powers Act would continue to be in vogue in the troubled State.

"No it is not correct to say that there is any move to withdraw the Assam Rifles. My colleague Shivraj Patil has been misunderstood on this subject," Mukherjee said interacting with women's press corps in New Delhi.

"It is not possible to remove this force," he emphasised while making it clear that Government would not protect armed forces personnel who were guilty of human right violations.

He said if there were allegations of violations against individual units and personnel, they were immediately not put on operations and added the guilty would be punished.

Describing as "unfortunate" the recent incident of killing of a woman underground activist in Manipur triggering their ongoing agitation in the State, the Minister said two inquiries had been ordered -- one judicial and other under the Army Act.

In reply to a question on Siachen during his hour-long interactive session with women journalists, he indicated that at the recent Indo-Pak Defence Secretary level talks no agreement had been reached for any disengagement in the world's highest battlefield.