IMPHAL, Jan 24: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi has categorically stated that the United Naga Council is a mouthpiece of the NSCN-IM which is under a dialogue process with the Government of India.
Addressing a press conference at the conference hall of the CM Secretariat this afternoon, Ibobi stated that he met Union Home Minister Rajnath when the UNC’s economic blockade was at the initial stage.
“I appealed Rajnath Singh to intervene for NSCN-IM is under a dialogue process with the Government of India and UNC is a mouthpiece of NSCN-IM. Besides pointing out that blockades are illegal, I made it clear that the State Government’s appeal to lift the blockade should not fall fall on deaf ears”, Ibobi conveyed.
The Union Home Minister responded that he would get the economic blockade lifted the next day if the State Government gives an assurance that Sadar Hills and Jiribam would not be declared as full fledged districts.
“I replied that creation of districts is an internal matter of the State. If new districts should be created, it would be done for administrative convenience. Leave aside NSCN-IM and UNC, no authority can dictate the State Government on such matters”, Ibobi recounted.
Nevertheless, the Chief Minister that the State Government is always ready to hold talks with all stake holders and the agitating group to resolve the issue of economic blockade.
The State Government has written to the Union Home Ministry in this regard. However, as of now, no time frame has been intimated to the State Government.
He continued that he again met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh together with Deputy Chief Minister recently.
That time, the Union Home Minister did not speak much. Yet, one Defence advisor and a Home Secretary asked about keeping vehicles off Imphal-Dimapur highway.
But they never asked about deployment of Central paramilitary forces along Imphal-Jiribam highway and movement of trucks along the highway.
Movement of trucks along Imphal-Dimapur highway has two problems. First, drivers and transporters don’t want to travel along the highway despite the State Government’s assurance for ex-gratia of Rs 20 lakh and a Government job to the next of kin of any driver/transporter in case they meet any fatality while transporting goods along the highway.
Secondly, army and Central paramilitary forces are ready to carry out only area domination exercises in their respective areas but they have been insisting that only the State police should deal with protest agitation by women and other groups that may result from any attempt to open the highway.
When womenfolk sit in the middle of the road and block the highway, State police can neither charge them with baton nor open fire.
The State Government has no intention to unleash any form of violence, Ibobi stated.
The NPF Government of Nagaland is backed by NSCN-IM and UNC, and the NPF Government is an ally of BJP, alleged Ibobi.
NPF, NSCN-IM and UNC have been conspiring to destroy the integrity of Manipur.
They have been threatening intending candidates to contest the forthcoming election on NPF tickets or tickets of non-Congress parties but not on Congress ticket, further charged the Chief Minister.
As such, many people have been forced to leave Congress party even though they love the party. This was testified by what Francis Ngajokpa said when he left Congress party, Ibobi continued.
If the integrity of Manipur must be protected, people should always be wary of BJP.
Everyone witnessed to what happened in Manipur when Union Home Minister LK Advani of the previous NDA Government inserted the phrase ‘without territorial limits’ in the cease fire agreement the NDA Government signed with NSCN-IM, recalled Ibobi.
If BJP and their State leaders sincerely love Manipur, they should divulge the details of the Framework Agreement signed between the Government of India and NSCN-IM.
They must urge the Prime Minister to disclose the details of the Framework Agreement before joining BJP.
Stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may come to Manipur for election campaign, Ibobi remarked that the people of Manipur in both hills and valley would appreciate the Prime Minister very much if he discloses the details of the Framework Agreement when he comes to Manipur.
“I just cannot decipher the allegation of BJP leaders that people have been suffering the brunt of indefinite economic blockade on account of creating seven new districts”, Ibobi remarked.
The new districts were created for administrative convenience in the interest of people living in far off and remote areas.
Forget Imphal, many of these people living in far off and remote areas could not even reach their district headquarters even once.
Creation of new districts did not mean giving away Nagas’ land to Kukis or vice or versa, Ibobi clarified.
He went on to ask whether the BJP leaders who have been supporting UNC intend to disintegrate Manipur.
Source: The Sangai Express
