The United Committee Manipur (UCM) has reaffirmed its three resolutions taken along with other civil voluntary organisations of the State on October 31, 2018 mass rally.
The resolutions include objecting any kind of divisive policy of the Centre like extension of Article 371(A) of Indian constitution or creation of autonomous regional council which may affect Manipur politically, socially, historically and economically in the future unless the consent of Manipuri people is taken into consideration.
Standing united and to take a concrete decision to save the state’s integrity if Centre attempted to disintegrate Manipur’s territorial integrity and that no external forces should try to disintegrate the unity of all communities living together in the State in harmony since time immemorial were the other resolutions.
Remembering the October 31, 2018 mass rally, which was undertaken to reaffirm the collective stand that threat to integrity of Manipur would not be tolerated, the UCM organised a symbolic observation at its office, Lamphelpat Imphal on Saturday.
Speaking at the function, general secretary of UCM Khuraijam Athouba said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured the people of Manipur in three different occasions on February 25, 2017, January 4 and April 7, 2019 that the Naga Peace talks will not affect the territorial, administrative and cultural integrity of Manipur.
Even in November 2019, the Union home minister assured civil voluntary organisations of Manipur in a meeting at Delhi that the people of Manipur will be consulted before the conclusion of Naga peace talks.
However, NSCN (I-M) leader Thuingaleng Muivah in his exclusive interview with The Wire on October 16 has clearly mentioned that NSCN (I-M) and the Centre has already agreed to form an autonomous region for the Nagas in Manipur.
Muivah had also mentioned that the NSCN (I-M) and the Centre had already agreed to form Pan Naga Hoho for Naga communities of Manipur along with Nagas in Nagaland. He also stated that creation of a territorial council for Nagas in Manipur is a step forward in creating a separate land for Nagas (Nagalim), said Athouba.
Athouba also pointed out that RN Ravi in his 213 report submitted to the Parliamentary Standing Committee in July 2018 mentioned wrong facts about Manipur. Ravi mentioned that 25 percent of the total land in Manipur is inhabited by the Meitei when it is only about 10 percent, he said.
He maintained that it can be assumed that Meitei inhabits only about six percent of the total land in Manipur considering the present situation since there are about 185 tribal villages in the valley. Besides, Ravi had also mentioned that the Meitei inhabited most of the fertile land in the State, said Athouba.
The UCM general secretary further contended that Ravi in his report also suggested extension of Article 371(A) of Indian constitution even in Manipur and an alternative arrangement for the Kuki community settling in Manipur.
Other valley based civil voluntary organisations of Manipur also took part in the function.
