In a major development, a team of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on a special charter flight from Delhi landed in Imphal airport around 5.30 pm on Monday to assess the prevailing ground situation in Manipur.
As per sources, the team sent by Union Home Minister Amit Shah comprises advisor AK Mishra, joint director IB Mandeep Singh Tuli and joint director, SIB Imphal Rajesh Kumble.
The special team headed by AK Mishra avoided interacting with the media and left the airport straight from the airfield by exiting from the cargo entry point.
The team reportedly met with Arambai Tenggol leaders at the residence of Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba.
The meeting is to be continued on Tuesday, sources said.
It may be mentioned that Mandeep Singh Tuli earlier served as joint director of SIB in Imphal during Biren’s first term as the chief minister.
The move came after a meeting of ruling party MLAs convened by the Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday proved inconclusive on Sunday. The meeting was convened to discuss the latest developments after Arambai Tenggol called a meeting of all Meitei MLAs and MPs at Kangla on January 24.
The group Arambai Tenggol had insisted on their compulsory attendance or face the consequences of public action. Amid speculations about possible resignation of the Chief Minister and MLAs in the social media and some newspapers, Arambai Tenggol issued a warning that if at all they want to resign they should do it after the January 24 meeting and not before.
After the meeting, Arambai Tenggol leader Korounganba Khuman shared on Facebook some details of the meeting with a post, stating that the meeting was held at the base of the royal flag at the palace of Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba.
His post mentioned that specific demands were raised during the meeting. The demands include making 1951 as base year for NRC, abrogation of SoO agreement with Kuki militants, deporting of all Myanmarese refugees to Mizoram, border fencing, removal of Assam Rifles and their replacement with other Central forces, and removal of Kukis from the ST list.
His facebook post also stated that there is no change in the scheduled meeting with political leaders on January 24.
On Sunday, MPCC President K Meghachandra revealed after holding an all political party meeting with chief minister N Biren Singh at his secretariat office that Article 355 of the Indian constitution had been imposed in Manipur.
He claimed that the chief minister himself revealed that Article 355 was imposed on Manipur during the meeting and termed it unfortunate. K Meghachandra, accused both the Centre and state government of being insincere all this time.
It is pertinent here to mention that Article 355 of the Indian Constitution reads, ‘It shall be the duty of the Union to protect every state against external aggression and internal disturbance and to ensure that the government of every state is carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution’.
