Govt fixed meeting date with UNC on MHA's insistence: source
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, May 15 2011:
Manipur government is understood to have stuck to its stand 'territorial integrity of Manipur was not open for discussion' even as it was ready to talks with the agitating UNC, demanding an 'alternative arrangement' for the Nagas in Manipur.
A cabinet of the SPF government under the chair of chief minister, O Ibobi Singh, on Friday fixed the date of the second round of tripartite meeting on May 30 next at Senapati district headquarters.
The cabinet decided to resume the talks on the request of the Centre on which the UNC has been insisting for resumption of talks.
On May 2, the state government received a letter from MHA requesting it to hold the next round of tripartite meeting with the UNC urgently, stating that UNC has urged to hold the talks in New Delhi before May 15, 2011 .
On his visit on May 11, Union minister P Chidambaram met with members of the UNC on his visit at Ukhrul and held talks for around 20 minutes.
Reminding the Centre's assurance to carry forward the dialogue, the Home Minister agreed to arrange the meeting at the earliest, the source maintained.
It may be recalled that MHA had first suggested holding a round table meeting with representatives of Naga bodies to discuss matters relating to the Manipur Autonomous District Council elections.
The Chief Minister convened a state level round table meeting on August 3, 2010 to consider the demands of certain sections, particularly UNC and ANSAM.
However, the Naga bodies did not participate.
The state government deputed an inter-ministerial team to hold talks with the UNC at Senapati district headquarters on August 7 of the same year.
The team comprised of TN Haokip, minister for PHED and IPR, N Biren Singh, minister for IFCD and DD Thaisii, minister for YAS.
The UNC, however, declined to even accept the invitation for the meeting.
Later, UNC submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister on September 14, 2010 declaring 'severing of ties with the government of Manipur' and demanding an 'alternative arrangement'.
They also met the Union Home Minister on the same day and expressed their desire to have a meeting in Delhi to discuss the issues raised by them.
The meeting in which the state government was represented by its Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (Hills) and Commissioner (Home) and the Central government by UK Bansal, Secretary (IS) and Shambhu Singh, Joint Secretary (NE), was held at Senapati on December 3, 2010 in Senapati.
In the meeting, Manipur government had reiterated that the territorial integrity of Manipur was not open for discussion.
The stand was endorsed by the MHA officers too.
While the UNC talks of an alternative arrangement, democratically elected ADCs have been instituted in the hill districts of Manipur after a gap of 20 years.
It was a major step forward towards grass root democracy and its criticism is bereft of any logic.
The meeting concluded without an amicable settlement and with a proposal of UK Bansal secretary (Internal Security), MHA to carry forward the dialogue, the source said.
As per the proposal in the meeting, MHA insisted Manipur government to fix the date on May 30.The cabinet has resolved ministers, DD Thaisii, N Biren and TN Haokip to represent the meeting from the government's side.
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