MANIPUR: BJP SAYS FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT SHOULD BE LIMITED TO NAGALAND BOUNDARY

15 July 2018:

The BJP in Manipur has asserted that the “Framework Agreement”, which the Central government had signed with the Isak-Muivah faction of insurgent group National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM), should be limited to the boundary of Nagaland. It categorically stated that anything remotely impacting the state of Manipur should be debated and ratified by Manipur Assembly.

A 30-member BJP delegation, led by Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and BJP Manipur unit chief and Rajya Sabha MP K Bhabananda Singh, is currently camping in New Delhi to convey this position of the people of Manipur to Central leaders.

After a three-hour brainstorming session, the BJP delegation prepared a strategy to protect Manipur’s interests. It called on BJP national general secretary, Ram Madhav, who is in-charge of the Northeast, and submitted a memorandum to him in this regard.

According to BJP sources, the team would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and interlocutor in the Naga peace talks RN Ravi in the next two to three days and convey the sentiments of the people of Manipur to them as regards the Framework Agreement.

The delegation is also expected to meet Union Human Resources Development Minister Prakash Javadekar to apprise him of the on-going impasse in Manipur University arising out of the students’ demand that Vice Chancellor Prof Adya Prasad Pandey should step down and seek his intervention to resolve the crisis at the earliest.

The delegation held deliberations with External Affairs Ministry officials about the recent border issue with Myanmar. Groups and organisations in Manipur accused the neighbouring country of encroaching upon the state’s land by erecting border pillars well inside the state. The border pillars demarcate the international border. It was learnt the ministry has decided to send a team to take stock of the situation.