Imphal, July 12: Asserting that imposition of indefinite economic blockade along the National Highways, which are the lifelines of the people, tantamount to �an attempt to murder the people� the apex body of the Kukis, Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) has asked ANSAM to call off its agitation in view of the difficulties being faced by the common people irrespective of the tribe or the community they belong to.

In a statement, KIM general secretary Jangmang Haokip said �the reason behind the agitation may be big, but causing suffering of great magnitude to the common people for no fault of their own is not justifiable on any ground�.

Everybody including ANSAM is very much aware that the Government of Manipur is for the territorial integrity of Manipur right from the beginning.

The Government never keep its intention and policy secret but has declared it to the public time and again in the State Assembly.

In the light of this, declaring June 18 as State Integrity Day and State Holiday to mark the Great June Uprising is not a wrong decision on the part of the Government of Manipur, the KIM statement observed.

In fact, the statement went on to say that �it is the sole responsibility and duty of the State Government to safeguard the State boundary and we cannot blame the Government for this�.

The Nagas have every right to integrate themselves into one entity and so is Manipur Government in safeguarding the territorial integration of Manipur.

However, so far Manipur Government has not imposed any economic blockade or any type of restrictions upon the Nagas in connection with the Naga political movement, it added.

Moreover, nobody can say that the action of the Manipur Government in declaring June 18 as State Integrity Day combined with State Holiday has done much damage to the Naga peace talks and for the Naga political movement.

As far as the reality of situation goes, the former and latter has nothing to with each other, KIM said.

In a way, the Naga peace talks has already crossed the State boundary and now is safely in the arms of the Central Government and its success or failure is to be decided as such and the need to impose economic blockade causing much hardships to the people does not arise at this juncture, KIM general secretary said in the statement.