Ready for talks with UNC: Manipur CM

Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said today that he was ready for talks with the United Naga Council (UNC) to end the three-month-long economic blockade which has crippled normal life.

He also accused the BJP of having a "tacit understanding with the UNC" and said the saffron party's "gameplan" will fail in the March elections.

The land-locked state is witnessing an indefinite economic blockade by UNC since November 1, 2016 against the state government's decision to create seven new districts by splitting the existing ones and upgradation of Sadar Hills to a full-fledged district.

Asked whether the state government is ready for talks with the UNC to resolve the ongoing crisis, Singh told PTI, "Yes, we are ready."
 

Asked as to why the matter was not discussed with the UNC before creating new districts, Singh said, "We tried to discuss, but they were not listening. We had to sit together but they did not respond when we invited them (for talks)".

The chief minister refuted Home Minister Rajnath Singh's charge that the blockade was a result of a "political conspiracy" hatched by the Congress government to divert attention from its "failures".

On the Home Minister's statement that Congress government did not use central forces to end the blockade, Ibobi Singh said, "If you go there you will see that womenfolk threatened by the NSCN (IM) are sitting on the highway. We cannot fire left and right to lift the blockade. The Centre needs to take steps," he said.

The Centre wanted to create such a situation, he alleged and added "if something goes wrong, and if someone dies, they (Centre and BJP) will blame us and say that law and order has broken down in the state. They would take advantage of that situation".

Supply of essential commodities, including fuel, in Manipur has been severely hit leading to exorbitant price hike after UNC declared an indefinite economic blockade on NH2 (via Dimapur) and NH 37 (via Jiribam) -- the two lifelines of the state.