PM Modi sets to visit Manipur on Nov 30
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, November 06 2014: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is most likely to attend the Sangai Festival during his visit to Imphal on November 30 .

Modi, on his first visit to the Northeast as Prime Minister, will visit Manipur and Nagaland on November 30 and December 1 respectively, according to sources.

He will also stopover in Guwahati for the Annual Conference of Directors General of Police to be held on November 29-30 .

It may be recalled that state chief minister, Okram Ibobi has already invited Narendra Modi to attend the Sangai Festival which is being organised by Manipur Tourism Department from November 21 to 30 .

Modi is expected to arrive in Imphal on November 30 in a two-day visit to the state and leave the state capital on December 1 for Nagaland where he is likely to open the Hornbill Festival of that state.

This is supposed to be the maiden visit of the Prime Minister to the North East after he took office last August.

Modi possibly will be the first Prime Minister to be present at the Sangai Festival which will be participated by many foreign dignitaries and tourists as well.

The conference of Directors General of Police is being held for the first time outside New Delhi.

Beginning with a northeastern state, it will now be held in the state capitals every year.

Nagaland Chief minister T.R Zeliang had also called on Modi last week to invite him for the annual Hornbill festival to be held at Kisama, near Kohima, from December 1-10 .

In the course of the meeting, Modi informed Zeliang of his overnight stay in Manipur on November 30 and promised to attend the festival the next day, Nagaland government sources said.

December 1 is also Nagaland's Statehood Day.

During the Lok Sabha election campaign this year, Modi had drawn huge crowds in Manipur.

The scheduling of the two-day visit to the neighbouring states is significant.

With both states competing ethnically, the Centre appears to have struck the balance.

Naga groups in Manipur have been demanding autonomy of the state's Naga-dominated hill districts while the NSCN (Isak-Muivah), a Naga rebel outfit, has been demanding integration of the Naga areas in the Northeast under a single administrative umbrella.

For over two months, NSCN leaders Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah have been seeking Modi's appointment in vain.

Sources said the meeting may be held soon, probably before the Prime Minister visits Nagaland.

Though it has resolution of the Naga problem in mind, the NDA government is, however, not ignoring the sentiments in Manipur.

Valley-based Meitei groups and people at large are stridently opposed to any plans of "breaking up" Manipur.

There are no doubts in the security establishment or in political corridors that the "territorial integrity" of Manipur will not be compromised.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured the Meiteis earlier; Modi is likely to repeat it.

"We cannot afford to tinker with the territorial integrity of Manipur while addressing the genuine aspirations of the Naga people," a senior government official said.

The Prime Minister is likely to deliver the valedictory speech at the DGPs' conference before proceeding to Imphal.

The meet, an annual feature organised by the Intelligence Bureau, has brainstorming sessions with speeches by the home minister and Prime Minister.

Union home minister Rajnath Singh, minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju, DGPs from all the states and paramilitary chiefs will attend the meet.

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