Keishing rejects NSCN-IM charges against him
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, April 20 2011: Phungyar MLA Wungnaoshang Keishing today categorically rejected the charges levelled against him by the NSCN-IM and the UNC in recent times has confirmed that the ambush on him and his convoy was carried out by the NSCN-IM.

Addressing a press conference, the MLA who narrowly escaped an assassination bid on April 15 at Riha village said that he was surprised with the NSCN-IM charge of betraying the trust of the people and his own commitments.

Referring to the allegation that he has been patronizing and nurturing armed groups such as the UNPC, MNRF and valley-based armed groups to fight against his own people, he said that except for the NSCN-IM he has never contacted with any other underground outfits.

He said he had not been in contact with the NSCN-IM too after the Lok Sabha election even through the telephone.

Wungnaoshang clarified that the name of the two outfits mentioned by the NSCN-IM are not familiar to him or that any of the outfits had ever contacted him.

He had submitted his resignation as MLA in protest against the Mao gate incident of May 6, 2010.It was not related with the issue of NSCNIM-GoI peace talks but since the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly has not accepted his resignation, he is still a member of the state Assembly.

"I was not elected by the UNC but by the people of Phungyar A/C and it is my utmost duty to work for the welfare of Phungyar, Wungnaoshang said reiterating that he put up the demand for Phungyar to be made into a district as per wishes of the people of four sub-division of the constituency.

It is his firm decision to fulfill this long cherished dream of his people, he said promising that he will not stop pressing the state government until it agrees to make Phungyar a full-fledged revenue district.

He said, he had not visited Mao at the time of the public outroar in May last year.

For this the outfit, NSCN-IM, and the UNC might have been angry with him.

Before the April 15 ambush he had received intimation from the UNC titled "Last Intimation".

The copy of the same intimation had been submitted to the State Home Department and another copy will be furnished to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Wungnaoshang went on to say.

Recalling the April 15 ambush on him, the independent MLA said that he had sought additional security personnel as escort for the visit to Riha village for attending the convention on HIV/AIDS held under the aegis of the Legislators' Forum on HIV/AIDS.

The government had sent five additional security escort personnel for the purpose but no ROP was conducted on the way to the village.

This indicates a flaw in the working of the intelligence agencies of the state, he lamented.

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