Notwithstanding the appeal made by Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh to the Naga groups to call off their counter blockade, Naga leaders have called for three days of ‘total blockade' starting from Thursday midnight.
A joint statement issued by the United Naga Council and the All-Naga Students' Association Manipur said on Tuesday that the government's handling of the issue of formation of a new district was condemnable.
The government had signed the Memorandum of Understanding with leaders of the Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee on Monday midnight without their consensus, the Naga groups said. “The MoU is in complete violation of the agreement the government had reached with the Naga bodies earlier.”
During the three days of total blockade no vehicular movement would be permitted. Schools and government offices would be closed. “There can be no construction works on the highways or the new railway lines in the ‘Naga areas.' Fresh agitations will be announced after the expiry of the three days of total blockade.”
The clarification by the Chief Minister that the State belongs to the government and no community owns any part of it had fallen on deaf ears. Earlier, in conversation with journalists, Mr. Singh said that the Nagas should read the MoU between the lines. “There is no clause or provision which will hurt the sentiment of any community.”
