NE will not be allowed to fragment at behest of foreign interests: Manipur govt

Imphal, Nov 29 (IANS) The Manipur government on Friday strongly criticised Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma’s reported demand for imposition of President’s rule in Manipur.

The Manipur government said that it would not allow fragmentation of northeast India at the behest of foreign vested interests, or such secessionist interests as “openly espoused by the Mizoram CM”.

“Any individual, group or organisation working with such intent shall be met with the strong hands of the law. The Mizoram CM can display better statesmanship by being a good neighbour rather than stoke the fire of hatred and division,” the statement said referring to Mizoram CM’s interview with a newspaper.

The Manipur government statement claimed that Mizoram CM had recently given a controversial speech in the US by calling for the formation of a Christian nation by carving out areas from Bangladesh, Myanmar and India.

In his interview with the newspaper, the Mizoram CM revealed his democratic credentials by espousing the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur while opposing boundary fencing along the India-Myanmar international border, the statement said.

According to the statement, Mizoram CM also calls for the reunification of the Zo people and he also talks about the possibility of armed militias in Manipur pointing their guns at Delhi and the need for disarming, and sincere negotiations with hill leaders.

“He further questions the use of border fencing saying smuggling of guns, weapons and drugs could not be stopped along the Indo-Bangladesh border despite the existence of border fence,” the Manipur government said.

Noting that the ongoing crisis in Manipur is a creation of illegal immigrants from Myanmar, the state government said that in the period between 1969 till present, there has been an increase in number of villages in the districts of Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal, Chandel, Churachandpur and Pherzawl by 893, from 731 to 1624.

In the remaining hill districts of Tamenglong, Noney, Senapati, Ukhrul and Kamjong, which are Naga-dominated, the increase during the same period is a figure of merely 49, up from 527 to 576, a mere 9 per cent increase, the statement said.

It said that the Mizoram CM is apparently unable to fathom the reasons behind this abnormal 122 per cent increase in the mushrooming of villages, many of which are in forest areas, in the first group of hill districts, which are Kuki dominated, or which have a sizeable Kuki population.

–IANS

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