Biren appeals people to remain calm until Centre invites stakeholders to finalise Naga issue

Pothashang News Service: Imphal, November 12, 2019: Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh has appealed the people and civil society organisations of the state to trust central leaders and state government, and to remain calm until Centre invites stakeholders for consultation to bring out a harmonious solution to Naga issue.

Biren made the appeal during a press conference held at his secretariat on Tuesday.

Biren said in their last meeting on November 10, Union home minister Amit Shah reiterated central government’s firm commitment to a team of the state government that anything detrimental to Manipur’s interest would never be done in the process of bringing a final solution to the Naga peace process.

He also observed that the same commitment of the central government was clearly reflected in the latest public statement of Nagaland governor and Naga peace talks’ interlocutor R.N. Ravi as well. As such, it is time to maintain calm until the central government invites stakeholders for discussion to find a final agreement with the Nagas, he observed.

Biren said the home minister assured that all the stakeholders would be consulted before inking a final accord with the Nagas. The present state government has full trust in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah that they would keep their words on the issue. He requested the people of Manipur to have confidence in the state government as well.

Informing that the central government is likely to begin consultation of stakeholders soon, Biren said the state government desires to meet the members of Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity and other stakeholders before consultations with the Centre commence.

Stating that boycott call or demand for postponement of state’s biggest tourism festival Manipur Sangai Festival may send out wrong message to the outside world, he urged the civil society organisations and people of the state not to disturb the festival.

He also said the state government is fully confident that all the indigenous people of the state would live together forever and no land or community or group would be separated from Manipur. As such, nobody should do anything which may disturb communal harmony at this crucial juncture.

Urging the public not to be too apprehensive, the chief minister said the state government has been working day and night to live up to people’s expectations and fulfil their desires. He said within the short tenure of the present government, Assembly resolution on protecting state’s territorial integrity had been taken twice although similar resolutions on the same issue had been taken several times during the tenure of the earlier government.

Ever since the October 31 deadline for concluding Naga peace talks was set, the state government had series of consultations with different civil society organisations and community leaders besides holding all political parties meeting and convening numerous meetings of MLAs of ruling parties, the chief minister said while adding that resolutions of these meetings were forwarded and submitted to the central leaders. As such, the central government understands the wish of the people of Manipur, he added.