Will talk to all outfits, uphold Manipur's integrity: Shah
Source: Chronicle News Service
Thoubal, March 01 2022:
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday announced that the government would talk with all the militant outfits in Manipur and solve the insurgency related problems in the state by bringing all the cadres of the extremist groups into the mainstream.
Addressing an election rally organised by BJP Heirok Mandal at Heirok Part-II in Thoubal district,, the union home minister said that so far 9,500 militants belonging to various outfits of Assam and other north-eastern states have surrendered and joined the mainstream.
"There will be no harm caused to any Manipuri youth; no youth will go to jail.
All the cadres of the extremist outfits would come into the mainstream and they would work for the development of Manipur and the country," Shah said.
He added that by curbing smuggling and illegal trade, Manipur would be made a drug free state.
Urging the people to vote for the BJP in the assembly elections, Shah said: "The BJP government has done a lot of work in Manipur in the last five years.
Give us five more years.
I came here to tell you that we would hold talks with all militant groups to establish permanent peace in the state" .
He also announced to keep the territorial integrity of Manipur intact.
His promise of securing the territorial integrity of the state assumes significance as the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) has been demanding the integration of the Naga dominated areas of the neighbouring states - Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
This demand has been strongly opposed by all the three north-eastern states.
Highlighting the performance of the BJP-led Manipur government; Shah said that when his party first came to power in the state in 2017, there was no women run police station, now all the districts have women police stations.
"There was no railway line in Manipur earlier, but the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has extended 111 km railway line in the state by spending Rs 12,000 crore".
"Earlier there was no national highway but now there are several national highways in Manipur.
Rs 16,000 crore is being spent to build major highways in the state," he added.
Amit Shah then said that to address the inconveniences in the health sector of the state, AIIMS will be established in Manipur along with a skill university, while highlighting the various achievements of the BJP-led government in terms of food, human resource, agriculture, and health and education sector.
Apart from these, the government has built over 10 Ima markets and established the National Sports University (NSU), which would be operationalised with additional funding within 6 months, if BJP were to form the government again.
"BJP has recognised the freedom fighters of the state including Rani Gaidinliu and as such, has set up museums in her name.
In addition to this, the government has also renamed Mt Harriet in Andaman & Nicobar Islands as Mt Manipur," he conveyed.
The Home Minister said that the former Chief Minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh (Congress) , knocked at the doors of the Gandhi family several times, but the BJP government at the Centre introduced the Inner Line Permit for which the incumbent Manipur Chief Minister does not have to go to Delhi.
The rally was also attended by Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, CM N Biren, Works minister Th Biswajit, BJP National spokesperson Sambit Patra, BJP Manipur Pradesh president A Sharda Devi, BJP candidates of Thoubal and Kakching districts, and important office bearers of state, district and Heirok Mandal.