Talks with Okram Ibobi Singh probable in few days: ANSAM
Al Ngullie
August 2
DIMAPUR: The Government of India has tacitly placed the onus of finding a solution to the ongoing agitation by Naga organizations in Manipur State, on the Manipur Government.
The Centre yesterday asked the agitating Naga students to first meet Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh to hammer out a solution. This was informed by both leaders of the All Naga Students Association Manipur (ANSAM) as well as the Naga Hoho, a delegation of which are currently in Delhi meeting with Union Ministers. The delegation has already met with Indian National Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patel and also a meeting with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is reported to be in the offing.
“The Centre has asked us to first meet the Manipur Government since it is the one naturally obligated to find a solution to the present situation in Nagaland and Manipur” said a Naga Hoho Leader speaking from Delhi. “We shall be having further series of meetings with the Central leaders in including Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh” he added.
Meanwhile, an ANSAM leader today said that since the ball was now clearly in the court of Okram Ibobi Singh, he was already obligated to lead the earlier-proposed Cabinet delegation for talks himself. The student leader said that the ANSAM did not have any reservations holding talks with the Chief Minister of Manipur and said that within the next few days both the ANSAM and a ministerial delegation from the State government would probably meet in Senapati District, one of the four predominantly Naga-inhabited Hill districts of Manipur. The student organization had, in the initial phases of the economic blockade had rejected Ibobi Singh’s offer for talks demanding the discussions be held in Naga areas. Singh had countered by refusing to budge from his insistence that talks be held only in Imphal, Capital of Manipur.
Just a few days back the ANSAM, which is spearheading agitations in Manipur demanding revocation of June 18 as Manipur State Integrity Day, had rejected for the fifth time Manipur Government’s invitation for talks stating that it was not favorable to the interest of the Nagas without the Chief Minister of Manipur himself as well the Chief Secretary in the ministerial delegation.
A delegation comprising of leaders from the Naga Hoho, ANSAM and the Naga Students Federation (NSF) is currently in Delhi meeting with the Central Government.
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