IMPHAL, January 21 (NNN): Manipur People’s Party (MPP) stalwart O Joy Saturday reiterated that the territorial integrity of Manipur should not be ‘dragged’ into the ongoing Indo-Naga talks and no one should be allowed to mention it in the process.
Joy stated this while speaking to journalists during a press conference at MPP office here.
He said he is prepared to face a debate on the issue of territorial integrity of Manipur on the floor of the state Assembly with aspiring Naga People’s Front (NPF) legislatures, who are projecting themselves as representatives of Naga integration.
“Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio in his recent election rally in Tamenglong district had stated that NPF MLAs would bring up the Naga issue in the Manipur Legislative Assembly,” the MPP leader stated.
Cautioning the people of Manipur on the issue of territorial integrity of the state, O Joy also warned the voters to `think twice` while casting their votes in the coming January 28 general elections and asked the voters to be aware about who will safeguard it.
O. Joy also expressed unhappiness over the rampant corruption, favoritism and nepotism rampant in the state where the people are facing armed conflict situation and political conflict too, warning the electorate to be fully aware about who can solve such difficult problems.
“Protection of identity is also very, very important,” Joy said and described the current state of affairs in Manipur as “landless people waiting to grasp our land whenever opportunity comes.”
Meanwhile, the MPP held a reception function at the party office today to welcome its vice-president Y Mangi who had been in the Central jail here for over two months under NSA acts. Mangi was detained under the Act for possessing illegal arms belonging to a militant outfit.
MPP president Dr Nimaichand Luwang asserted that Mangi’s release from jail after 68 days had proven his innocence, saying that his detention under National Security Act (NSA) was a politically motivated act committed by his political rival.