The first tangible move so far from the side of the State Government to resolve the ongoing economic blockade. Invitation sent to the UNC for a tripartite meeting at Imphal and while no one knows how the UNC will respond to the invite, it is encouraging to note that the State Government seems to have taken the first tangible step. Another significant development is the invitation to the Chief Minister from Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to confer over the same issue. No one knows how things will unfold in the coming days, but it is significant to note that at least a beginning has been made and hopefully this will go some way in neutralising the failure of the State Government earlier to send a representative to New Delhi when the Centre had issued an invitation for a tripartite talk. Another important development is the visit of a team of the Joint Peace Forum to Delhi to discuss the same thing. Already a date has been set to meet the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister. Difficult to say how the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister respond to the call to help get the economic lifted, but these are all significant developments and go some way in reiterating the point that Delhi can indeed say something in the ongoing economic blockade.
In effect much will depend on how Delhi respond to the situation in the State and how it deals with the NSCN (IM), which is in a cease fire pact with the Government of India. What the NSCN (IM) ultimately decides will go a long way in shaping the course of action the UNC may take up in the days to come and this is a point which has been stressed repeatedly by the State Government. Not speculating, but it is also important to study the probable response from the NSCN (IM) and the UNC. If and when the talk is held, what can the State Government expect from the UNC ? How will it lay its cards on the table ? Moreover how will the State Government respond to the points laid down by the UNC ? More than certain that the State Government must have prepared for any points that may be put up by the UNC if and when the tripartite talk is held and it is also more than obvious that the UNC must have prepared well in advance on how to go about placing its points. This is where the role of the Centre becomes interesting. Will it just be a facilitator or will it also take part in the talk between the State Government and the UNC ? Early days yet but the next few days will be interesting.
Source: The Sangai Express
