No opposition given to Nagaland CM's visit:Ibobi
"The media had misquoted the cabinet decision creating unnecessary tension among the people" - CM
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, May 28, 2011: With the Manipur cabinet clearing the visit of the Nagaland Chief Minister at the last minute, the brewing tension between the two states cooled.

Neiphiu Rio attended the launching ceremony of his party unit in Manipur without any disturbances on his way to Manipur.

The state cabinet which met in the morning at 7 am cleared the visit of Nagaland's Chief Minister, who was on his way from Kohima bound for Senapati.

Rio had also said that he received a message from the Manipur Chief Minister giving clearance to his visit.

Meanwhile, Manipur Chief minister, O Ibobi Singh, flayed the media in Manipur for misquoting the cabinet decision and creating unnecessary tension among the people.

He said that his cabinet had never taken a decision to ban the visit of Nagaland's Chief Minister to the state.

"The cabinet had, indeed, taken a decision to urge Neiphiu Rio to defer his visit considering the fragile law and order situation," Ibobi said in a hurriedly called press conference today in his office bungalow.

The media had misquoted the cabinet decision creating unnecessary tension, he added.

Elaborating the review on the law and order of the state by the cabinet, the Chief Minister said that the law and order in the state is not good and that it might have affected his visit because there were various crucial issues before the state government.

Manipur government is arranging a tripartite talks with the agitating UNC and representatives of the state and the central government scheduled on May 30.The talks are to be held amidst plans for observation of the June 18, 2001 incident.

In such circumstances, there was a high possibility of the serious break down of law and order in Manipur as a result of the visit of Nagaland's Chief Minister, he added.

The Chief Minister also produced the copy of the cabinet decision and said that the media should take utmost care in reporting such sensitive issues, he asserted.

Comment