Imphal, September 29: Conveying deep concern over the volatile atmosphere in the State and various issues plaguing the hill districts, MPP officials including its president have accused the Union Government for playing a part in sowing the seeds of distrust between the different communities in the State particularly between hill dwellers and valley dwellers.

They alleged that the Congress party has been plotting to disintegrate Manipur since 1972.In an introductory press meet after the unification of regional parties, MPP president Dr L Chandramani noted that even as the elected representatives of the people have been ruling the State since Manipur attained statehood 34 years back, peace and prosperity still remain a far fetched dream.

He observed that the defeat of many political heavyweights and incumbent MLAs in the Assembly elections of 2002 was a befitting punishment awarded by the people.

Had the regional parties fought the elections as a united entity, regional parties could have won the election, he remarked.

Asserting that all the previous State Governments and the current one were and are mere puppets of the Union Government, he said that the Centre has the preconceived notion that the State Government should dance to their tunes.

He alleged that such attitude of Delhi was largely responsible for the present turmoil and restlessness in Manipur.

Dr Chandramani stated that such treatment of the State Government by the Centre contributed to the unification of regional parties in the State.

As such, FPM and DRPP merged with MPP to fight the upcoming elections under a single banner as a strong , united force, he continued.

Contending that the approval given by the Nagaland Cabinet to allow students of Naga students of Manipur in examinations conducted by the Nagaland Board of Secondary Education needed consent of the Manipur Government, the MPP president asserted that such a decision of the Nagaland Cabinet was adopted without the consent of the Manipur Government under a tacit understanding with the Union Government.

In the back of such alleged conspiracy, the Union Government would be held responsible for any eventuality arising out of the Nagaland Cabinet decision, iterated Dr Chandramani.

Alleging that it was the Congress party that plotted to disintegrate Manipur, convenor of the of the Preparatory Committee Dr Nimaichand Luwang disclosed that the Rajya Sabha MP Rishang Keishing established the United Naga Integration Council with the objective to dismember Manipur and the documents it signed with the Government could not be put away.

It was such incidents in the past that sowed the seeds of distrust among the indigenous peoples of the State and the contradictory stands adopted by the peoples of the State today were the results of the anti-State activities undertaken by Congress party in the past, noted Dr Nimaichand adding that Congress is responsible for the present turmoil and various issues besetting the State.

Further going on the offensive, the MPP vice-president RK Anand alleged that India was no longer a democratic country and that Union Government was nothing but a subservient agent of the Indian Army.

He elaborated his point citing the failure of the UPA Government to replace the infamous AFSPA 1958 by a more humane act.

Even after the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh himself had accepted the Act as inhumane and Review Committee had recommended for replacement, the UPA Government taking the words of one top army officer who asked for continued imposition of the draconian Act in the North East, has failed to fulfil the long standing demand of the people.

Such despotic nature of the Union Government is intolerable to the people of Manipur which existed as a nation State since ages, noted RK Anand.

Saying that such treatment was a big challenge to the people of Manipur, he observed that such challenges could be effectively fought back only when the people and regional parties of the State stand united.

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