Union Home secretary-designate visits Ukhrul, holds closed-door meeting CSOs
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Pamreiso Shimray
Ukhrul, June 16 2013:
Union Home secretary-designate Anil Goswami on Sunday made a fleeting visit to Ukhrul and held a hurriedly convened meeting with civil society groups after a closed-door deliberation with authorities of Assam Rifles.
On Sunday morning, a senior Home ministry official Anil Goswami touched down at Assam Rifles helipad at Somsai and proceeded to a closed-door deliberation with the 10 Sector (AR) senior officials.
There was no official confirmation on what transpired at the meeting.
A reliable source, however, hinted that the meet probably deliberated on security issues.
A senior IAS official Goswami, who has been designated as the incoming Home Secretary, rushed to Ukhrul mini-secretariat in a bullet proof vehicle under a tight security cover.
He held an in-camera meeting with the Ukhrul Deputy Commissioner R.Sudhan and chief executive officer of Ukhrul Autonomous District Council Luckyson Kashung.
In his two-hour long visit at Ukhrul, Goswami also held a separate audience with Naga civil societies at the district multi-purpose hall.
He reportedly had a patient hearing to various representations made by United Naga Council, Tangkhul Naga Long, Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong, Tangkhul Shanao Long and Tangkhul Mayar Ngala Long.
On a query from reporters, the Ukhrul Deputy Commissioner said "the Union Home Secretary designate had meeting with Assam Rifles, district administration and the social organizations" .
In a brief but closed-door meeting, the Home Ministry official asked the representatives of social organisations on the various aspects of development in the district.
In response, the bodies reaffirmed their demand and submitted a memo to speed up Indo-Naga peace talks and the Alternative Arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur.
Goswami was reported to be elusive with his response to the two-point agenda put forward by the organisations.
He then reportedly made a reference to the existing Autonomous District Council (ADC) for the hills and touched upon the Village Council Act.
A senior UNC activist Milan Shimray informed the Home Secretary designate that "the incumbent ADCs have been declared null and void by the Naga public." Then the latter parried the UNC leader's statement saying, "Isn't the solution to the Indo-Naga peace talks the aspiration of the Nagas?" .
Milan said the meeting was brief but crucial as the Home Secretary designate has been highlighted of the persisting demands of the Nagas.
"The ongoing Indo-Naga ceasefire agreement has not been recognised by Government of Manipur.
Is Manipur not a part of India? Why it has been opposed and not honoured? " he said these relevant queries have been reminded to the visiting official today.
No official statement has been issued on the purpose of Goswami's visit to Ukhrul today.
However, a reliable source said the official is undertaking a recce of the situation in Manipur before his assumption to top post in the Home Ministry.