Source: The Sangai Express
New Delhi, October 26:
Representatives of Manipuri organizations demanding withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act may hold discussions in the first week of November with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Shivraj Patil to be followed by tripartite talks involving the State Government, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh said today.
The Chief Minister also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and drew the attention of the PM to various problems being faced by the State, said a message faxed by the Manipur Information Centre from Delhi late this evening.
The Prime Minister was also invited to visit Manipur next month.
Representatives of Apunba Lup, an umbrella body of 32 Manipuri organizations, are at present holding discussions with Governor SS Sidhu on the issue and "if necessary they will talk to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister," he told reporters here.
He said they were "tentatively scheduled" to come to Delhi in the first week of November for talks with the Central leaders.
"If the Centre approves, we will also have joint talks with them and the Centre," Singh said.
The Apunba Lup has been spearheading protests against the Special Powers Act in the north-eastern State following the alleged custodial killing of Manorama Devi by Assam Rifles jawans in July.
The Home Minister had held a round of talks with representatives of Apunba Lup once earlier, but nothing concrete was achieved.
Singh said there had been an "excellent improvement" in the ground situation in Manipur which had become "almost peaceful".
"However, we are trying to achieve complete peace," he added.
The Chief Minister said his Government had appealed to all underground organizations to come forward for talks.
"We are always ready to go to the dialogue table and hope they come too," he said.