PM takes his development message to Manipur

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, scheduled to attend a special convocation at the Manipur University tomorrow, is expected to take his "education and development" message to the insurgency-hit state.

Singh will also lay the foundation stone for a capital complex at Chingmeirong near Imphal. On behalf of the Centre, he will hand over the historic Kangla fort to the Manipur government at another public function.

Manipur has been witnessing widespread unrest over the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers' Act (AFSPA), which the people of the state says gives the Army sweeping powers to arrest and shoot at suspected rebels.

The Prime Minister will also visit Assam, which he represents in the Rajya Sabha, to flag off an India-Asean car rally on Monday.

Also on the agenda is a foundation stone laying ceremony for the 97.9 km-long Jiribam-Imphal Road (Tupul) new broad gauge line railway project.

The railway line is an important step in connecting Jiribam and Tupul, which is at a distance of 25 km from Imphal. Till now, Imphal was not connected to the rest of the country by rail.

Chief Minister Ibobi Singh, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and his deputy R Velu will be present.

Security was tight on the eve of the Prime Minister's visit. The Revolutionary People's Front has called a 24-hour curfew beginning midnight tonight to protest against the visit, which they say is nothing more than a survey of the military establishment in Manipur.

The Apunba Lup, the umbrella organisation of bodies opposing AFSPA, had set a time limit for the Centre to lift the controversial law. The deadline ended today.

The home ministry today announced the setting up of a committee, headed by a retired judge, to review the Act. This is as far as the government is willing to concede on the issue.

As in Kashmir, development will be the message that Singh will harp on while addressing various public meetings in Manipur.