The Congress in Manipur will never welcome the Centre’s coming agreement with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) if it hurts the State’s interests in any manner now or in the future.
State president of the Congress Gaikhangam said on Monday it was a firm and unshakable stand of the party.
He urged the ruling BJP in Manipur to disclose its stand on the issue. Since the BJP was in power in the Centre, the Manipur people would like to know the BJP’s stand as there was growing fear in the minds of people that the proposed agreement would hurt the interests of Manipur, he said.
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Without mentioning the name of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren, he said that all these months he had been assuring the people that nothing would happen in Manipur as a result of the coming agreement. “Since he rushed to Delhi on Sunday afternoon, people are wondering whether something is going to happen now”, he added.
Mr. Gaikhangam announced that the Congress would send two party representatives to the all-party meeting on Tuesday. All parties must join hands to safeguard the interests of Manipur, he noted.
Congress Legilative Party leader and three-time Chief Minister Okram Ibobi said, “ The agreement should not hurt the interests of Manipur now or in the future. Funding should be done through the State government”.
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He said there was fear in some sections that autonomous councils, suspected to be a major part of the coming agreement, may work independently. Manipur would be happy if there was development in Nagaland. Nagaland would also be happy when the same happened in Manipur, he added.
Some civil society organisations maintain that if Manipur’s integrity and unity are compromised in any manner, the 60 MLAs shall be held accountable.