Imphal, April 18: Just stopping short of calling for a boycott of the upcoming Lok Sabha election, the All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation today said that the election has no meaning for the people of Manipur and added that brave cries and shouts by candidates that they would protect the territory of Manipur is meaningless and just a ploy to garner some votes.In a statement issued to the press today, AMUCO said that people should not forget that the biggest threat to the integrity of Manipur is India itself and reminded all the territory of Manipur has been protected by the people of both the hills and the plain and they will continue to do so.

Candidates who raise the banner of safeguarding the territorial integrity of Manipur are only using this agenda to garner votes and reminded all that protecting the integrity of Manipur cannot be the sole responsibility of one or two persons but the whole people of Manipur.

India may go along without compromising with the territory of Manipur as long as it suits them but it cannot be taken for granted that they will not try to break up the State at the next given opportunity, cautioned AMUCO.

The threat to the territory of Manipur began ever since India annexed the State in 1949 and recalled that a number of other independent entities have also been forcefully merged with the Indian Union after the British left and mentioned the cases of Tripura, Khasi Hills, Junagarh, Hyderabad, Kashmir, the Naga Hills and most recently Sikkim.

The process of strengthening Manipuri Nationalism is on, said AMUCO and in such a circumstances, India is sure to try and derail the process of building up people's consciousness of a Manipuri Nationalism.

The candidates who are crying hoarse that they will fight to protect the territory of Manipur are only living in a fool's paradise, said AMUCO and reiterated that the boundary of Manipur has been protected by the people of both the hills as well as the plain and added that this will go on.