Source: The Sangai Express
New Delhi, September 13:
Former Manipur Chief Minister Rishang Keishing, said to be in touch with various agitating outfits in the State, today met Home Minister Shivraj Patil here and claimed that he (Patil) was willing to talk to them.
Earlier in the day, Patil met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and is understood to have briefed him on Manipur situation.
"I had come to see the willingness of the Centre to talk to various agitating student outfits.
Patil said he is willing to talk to them," Keishing told reporters after his meeting.
He said he was in "touch" with some student outfits, who were participating in the agitation in the State demanding withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
"I will go back and tell them (outfits) that the Centre is ready to talk to them," he said.
Asked if he was assuming the role of an "interlocutor" between the Centre and the state, Keishing said "I am a well-wisher of both and would like to solve the problem".
Asked whether he personally favored withdrawal of the controversial Act, Keishing said "if normalcy is there, it can be removed from the whole area".
To a question as to why these student outfits gave a "cold" response to Patil during his visit, the former Chief Minister said "they were angry over the arrest of some of its leaders".