Manipur violence: State Congress party seeks clarification of three union territory theory

Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) strongly opposed the recent personal statement made by BJP MLA of Saikot Assembly Constituency, Paolienlal Haokip in connection with dividing Manipur into three union territories. 

MPCC demands sought clarification from the chief minister, N Biren Singh and the president of BJP Manipur Pradesh in this regard.

In a press conference held at Congress Bhawan, vice president of MPCC, Hareswar Goswami, referring to a media report about Paolienlal Haokip expressing his views to form Manipur into three union territories to bring peace, said that the Congress party strongly condemned such a statement and cannot be acceptable at all. 

He further said that Paolienlal Haokip is one of the 10 MLAs who had demanded separate administration as he was the signatory of the press statement issued by these MLAs on June 12 this year that demands for separate administration. However, no appropriate action has been taken up in connection with this though the crisis is almost three months. 

Also Read: Manipur violence: Most of unclaimed bodies are of people who came to India illegally, says Centre to SC

Amid this situation, Paolienlal Haokip again expressed the idea of the three union territories theory in Manipur as highly condemnable and the state government must clarify it.

He alleged that as per the media reports, there is speculation of withdrawing the clause of safeguarding Manipur’s integrity from the Suspension of Operation agreement by the BJP government. This step will be taken up by the BJP government because of pressure from SoO groups. 

“The formal dialogue between United People’s Front led by Aron Kipgen and Kuki National Organisation (KNO) led by Seilen Haokip was held recently at Delhi with BJP government under the chairmanship of security adviser of Ministry of Home Affairs, AK Mishra. During their talk, UPF and KNO put up the demand for creating a union territory,” he informed.

He said that the preamble of agreed ground rules for the Implementation of Suspension of Operation (SoO) with KNO and UPF had agreed to uphold the constitution of India, the laws of the land and the territorial integrity of Manipur. SoO is a tripartite talk between the state government, central government and militants under SoO. Even though this information is already published in the news but no clarification has been made in connection with three union territory theories by the state government.

“Some days back, chief minister N Biren Singh stated that law and order of Imphal valley will be looked after by him while union home minister Amit Shah will handle the hill areas. Later on, clarification was made that the Union home minister will tackle the militants under Soo. Is this the way of handling militants by the home minister,” he questioned.