Different forces pulling Manipur : Lim and Myanmar
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: July 03 2018 -

Naga solution or rather solution with the NSCN (IM) will not affect the boundary of Manipur and the North Eastern States.

This was the BJP, especially in the run up to the State Assembly election in 2017.

Naga integration an integral part of the ongoing Indo-Naga political dialogue.

This is the NSCN (IM) in an obvious retort to Nagaland Chief Minister Nephiu Rio who recently had stated that Naga integration may be hard to achieve in the face of the staunch opposition from the neighbouring States.

Nothing new in the posture of the NSCN (IM), for remember it has been flagging the Naga integration card all through and nothing new may be read in their latest statement that Naga integration is an integral part of the ongoing political negotiation with New Delhi.

This however will be seen in red in the neighbouring States, particularly in Manipur.

What is making things all that more dicey and uncertain is the highly secretive nature of the Framework Agreement signed nearly three years back.

As observed earlier in this column, the highly secretive nature of the pact will only sow more seeds of suspicion and give room for wild speculations to do the round.

Given this reality, it would do good for all, specially those on either side of the Lim divide to keep their sanity and not fall for all the loose talks that may do the round.

So if it is the ongoing parleys with the NSCN (IM) that has given birth to the apprehension over the territorial integrity of Manipur, what is happening along the Indo-Myanmar border is another threat looming ahead of the State.

As things stand today and as already reported widely in the local dailies, the threat is real with Myanmar intruding into the territory of Manipur and erecting subsidiary boundary pillars well on the Manipur side of the border.

UCM, the State Congress and the CPI, Manipur State Council have already visited the spot where the dispute has cropped up and what they have had to say are all on the same line.

Wonder when the committee set up by the State Government will inspect the spot where the issue has come up.

Why did it take the other entities to visit the spot before the Government appointed committee did, is a question worth raising.

The Government should give a satisfactory answer to this question for it has the potential to ring out the message that the BJP led coalition Government may not be very serious about the issue.

Making things worse is the statement of Union MoS for Home, Kiren Rijiju who is understood to have told the media that there is no border dispute between India and Myanmar.

This reeks of indifference and hence the question raised by the Congress whether the portion of land in Manipur has been given away with the consent of the Government.

Moreover what was the Assam Rifles doing when the boundary pillar was erected well inside the territory of Manipur ?

This is a question which has already been raised by a political party with some presence in the State and while the BJP led Government at New Delhi will most probably not take this question seriously, a very signification poser has been raised.

This is what is important.

Ultimately what stands true is the fact that different forces are at work trying to manipulate the boundary of Manipur and the most unacceptable part is the indifference of the Government, that is if what Kiren Rijiju had to say is true.