IMPHAL, Mar 24: Referring to NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah’s statement on the Framework Agreement, Congress has demanded an unambiguous clarification from the Central Government as well as the State Government.
Speaking to media persons at Congress Bhavan here today, MPCC vice-president and spokesman Yengkhom Surchandra remarked that there is no guarantee for the State’s integrity and territorial boundary if Th Muivah’s statement as reported in some dailies today was true.
Even if the word ‘Manipur’ is not mentioned in the Framework Agreement, it would be tantamount to disintegration of Manipur if the framework agreed to unification of Naga inhabited areas under a single administrative roof.
Unification of Naga inhabited areas would mean loss of 80 per cent of the State’s territory, Surchandra said.
Muivah’s statement has created confusion and anxiety among the masses. As such, the Central Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the State Government led by Chief Minister N Biren should come out with an unambiguous clarification regarding the issue.
The Central Government and the State Government should either declare the Framework Agreement invalid or reject Muivah’s statement as false or they should divulge full details of the Framework Agreement to the people of Manipur, Surchandra demanded.
Congress party has been demanding disclosure of the details of the Framework Agreement signed between the Government of India and NSCN-IM on August 3, 2015 but the Central Government has been still keeping the agreement a closely guarded secret.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh stated that the Framework Agreement would be tabled in Parliament when ex-Chief Minister O Ibobi enquired about it but the Framework Agreement was never produced in Parliament.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP National president Amit Shah stated that the Framework Agreement does not contain anything that challenges the integrity of Manipur and its territorial boundary when they came to the State for BJP election campaign, the MPCC vice-president reminded. Moreover, many State BJP leaders made similar statements in public repeatedly. Now Th Muivah who is one of two signatories of the Framework Agreement has been saying something totally different. As for Congress party, it would never compromise the integrity of Manipur and its territorial boundary under any circumstances, Surchandra asserted.
Currently, Class X and Class XII board exams are going on and Congress party has no intention to create any disruptive situation, continued the Congress MLA.
Yet, Congress would not remain silent if the situation compels them and it’s time for the people of Manipur to be alert, he added.
Source: The Sangai Express
