Imphal, February 21: Pledging to protect the territorial integrity of Manipur while speaking in the Manipur valley but skipped the same while in the hills area by AICC chief Sonia Gandhi during her recent election campaigns in Manipur showed the double standard of the Congress party, said the United Naga Council (UNC).

The Naga body was reacting to the AICC chief's comments who said in Imphal that "Congress party is committed to maintain the territorial integrity of Manipur and that this commitment has been kept as a firon policy of the party" but nothing such was mentioned in her speech during her election campaign at Nungba Assembly Constituency under Tamenglong district.

The UNC termed it as the "volte face speeches and double standard quality of the Congress leadership".

UNC information and publicity secretary while issuing a statement to Newmai News Network said, "The UNC seriously takes note on Sonia Gandhi's volte face speeches committed to protect the territorial integrity of Manipur while speaking in the valley to please the valley peoples' voters and skipping the same at Nungba Assembly Constituency under Tamenglong district to woo the Naga voters for the Congress to return to power which had directly insulted the Naga people,".

The UNC statement further added, "their mindset is clear enough that they love our land and our votes but failed to honour our aspiration and sentiments of the Nagas".

The UNC then urged the Nagas not to vote for the Congress party.

The UNC statement warned against 'believing any form of rumours, false propagandist pamphlets and related articles with regard to the ensuing Manipur assembly election.

The statment also clarified that the UNC had never intimidated or threatened any Naga candidate but appealed to the Naga candidates who had not been nominated by the Naga people represented by the UNC to refrain from constesting the ensuing Assembly election.

The UNC then expressed its gratitude to the GPRN/NSCN-IM for releasing safe and sound of Khangthuanang Panmei.