Banned Outfits Call Shutdown, Boycott of PM Modi’s Manipur Visit

 Guwahati: Amid the boycott call of six banned underground militant groups, the security measures have been stepped up in Imphal and Churachandpur district headquarters ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Manipur on Saturday. Meanwhile, according to officials on Thursday, the Prime Minister will unveil projects valued at Rs 8,500 crores during his visit.

According to officials, the Prime Minister will lay foundation stones for various development projects valued at Rs 7,300 crores from Peace Ground in Churachandpur, where Kukis are in the majority. He will also inaugurate infrastructure projects worth Rs 1,200 crores from the state capital Imphal, which is dominated by the Meiteis.

Ahead of the impending visit of the Prime Minister, security sources said that both state and Central forces personnel have been deployed in large numbers in and around the nearly 237-acre Kangla Fort in Imphal and Peace Ground in Churachandpur, where a grand stage is being set up for Mr Modi's function.

Informing that frisking and checking have been intensified at Sanjenthong, Minuthong and Moirangkhom areas, which all lead to Kangla Fort, security sources said that the Coordination Committee (CorCOM), comprising the banned underground outfits, called for a shutdown from 1pm on Saturday until the Prime Minister leaves the state. In a statement, it alleged that there was no intention to resolve the crisis and that the visit was aimed at strengthening “proxy wars” and consolidating Delhi’s control.

The CorCOM accused Mr Modi of turning a blind eye to the violence and the killing of over 250 people and the displacement of 60,000. “Mr Modi and his BJP government must take responsibility for the Manipur crisis...” said the statement.

Meanwhile, the Manipur government has requested the United Naga Council (UNC), the Naga apex organisation in the state, to withdraw the indefinite economic blockade along the National Highways in Naga-dominated areas.

The Naga group on Thursday said it has temporarily suspended the indefinite blockade along the national highways in Naga-majority areas of the state following a request from the government, as talks are on over the border fencing along Myanmar and the free movement regime (FMR) with the neighbouring country.

The UNC launched an indefinite "trade embargo" along the national highways from midnight on September 8 to protest the fencing works along the India-Myanmar border and the scrapping of FMR.

A UNC statement said that the organisation held an emergency meeting in Senapati district and decided to temporarily suspend the indefinite blockade. The suspension came into effect at 6 pm on Thursday.

Security sources said that Manipur chief secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, in a letter to the UNC president on Wednesday, said that the ministry of home affairs has been engaging with the UNC on the issue of fencing of the international border between India and Myanmar in Naga-inhabited areas.

“In this connection, it is to inform that the Central government noted the concerns raised by the UNC and other stakeholders. Accordingly, the Central government has been holding and will continue to hold dialogue with the UNC and other stakeholders for prior consultation before fencing works are taken up. The next tripartite meeting with UNC will be held on a mutually convenient date and venue,” Mr Goel said.

After holding a meeting with at least 29 MLAs, including former chief minister N. Biren Singh, in Imphal, governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla met Kuki-Zo MLAs in Churachandpur on Tuesday in the run-up to the PM’s September 13 visit.

The governor also supervised the preparations in Churachandpur, where the ground for the rally was being prepared, and tents had been set up to accommodate over 200 internally displaced people. The local authorities have been told that Mr Modi will speak to the families for around half an hour. He is expected to address around 8,000-10,000 Kuki-Zo members at the ground. At least nine Kuki-Zo MLAs are likely to be present.

The BJP leaders, including the party’s Northeast in-charge Sambit Patra, arrived in Imphal on Wednesday ahead of the PM’s visit. He held a closed-door meeting of the BJP leaders at the party’s state office. Twenty-nine MLAs and the former chief minister attended the meeting.