Out of total 60 seats in Manipur, 11 seats are in Naga dominated hill areas and NSCN-IM has come out openly in support of Naga Peoples Front of Nagaland
Jagdamba Mall
The ban on national projects like Makru and Barak bridges and construction/widening of NH-2 (Dimapur-Kohima-Imphal-Morey) and NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam) in Naga areas are severely hampered because of the indefinite economic blockade on both national highways and ban on national projects including railway line from November 1, 2016 onwards. The construction work was started by NHIDCL after announcement of 22,000 crore projects by Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari at Jiribam on December 11, 2016.
Reportedly, United Naga Council (UNC) and All Naga Students Association Manipur (ANSAM) are secessionist and shield to NSCN-IM. The Manipuri apex organisations United Committee Manipur (UCM) and All Manipur United Club Organisation (AMUCO) have stated that since
NSCN-IM came into a dialogue process with Delhi on August 1, 1997, the unity and integrity of Manipur are threatened incessantly. “NSCN-IM has been
hatching several conspiracies, both overt and covert, to create enmity among the natives of the land,” said AMUCO.
In the course of series of violent activities, one civilian Dikhonang Gonmei was killed and three others namely Jacky Kamei, Nipon Kalita and Thuanilung Kamei were seriously injured when a trucks’ convoy was attacked reportedly by NSCN-IM along
Imphal-Jiribam highway (NH-37) at Khumji village near Noney in Tamenglong district on January 12 this year.
The UCM, AMUCO and senior citizens from all communities of Manipur including Nagas ask as to why NSCN-IM is allowed to operate freely in the poll-bound Manipur, who
otherwise should remain confined to Nagaland and their Hebron camp and also as to why NSCN-IM is allowed
to rig elections, extort money, loot vehicles, kill people and outrage modesty of women in Manipur when Delhi knows well that because of hijacking of last Parliamentary
election in May 2014 with the deployment of over 500 armed cadres, NSCN-IM caused defeat of BJP candidate Prof. Gangmumei Kamei in outer Manipur.
NSCN-IM had supported NPF candidate. Because of division of votes between BJP and NPF (a BJP ally in Nagaland), Congress won the seat. Out of total 60 seats in Manipur assembly, 11 MLA seats are in Naga dominated hill areas and this time also, NSCN-IM has come out openly in support of Naga Peoples Front (NPF) of Nagaland founded by Neiphiu Rio in 2003 in Kohima with active support of NSCN-IM, then sworn enemy of Dr SC Jamir who was Chief Minister of Nagaland that time. Neiphiu Rio is a known promoter of NSCN-IM. The political pundits, psephologists, social scientists and veterans of Manipur including Nagas are sure that Ibobi Singh will not act decisively to lift economic blockade, because the disturbance in Manipur would pay rich dividends to Congress in elections on March 4 and 8.
These people are also of the view that the Centre should act decisively and should not leave the matter to the state in the name of law and order being state subject. People expects that the MHA should take effective steps to get the blockade cleared, control NSCN-IM and Kuki outfits and restore peace and tranquility in restless Manipur to ensure free and fair elections. n
