Accord cloaked in secrecy: Ibobi
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 04 2015:
The peace accord signed between Government of India and NSCN-IM yesterday was signed in total secrecy as far as the Government of Manipur is concerned, said Chief Minister O Ibobi today.
Nonetheless, the State Government has been exploring every available means to get the details of the accord.
In case the accord contains anything inimical to the integrity of Manipur, the State Government would oppose it tooth and nail.
Briefing media persons at the Chief Minister's Secretariat this evening, Ibobi maintained that notwithstanding the 'demand' of NSCN-IM, all the people of Manipur share age-old bond of fraternity and oneness.
The State Government has been considering to fulfil all the demands of Naga people.
The Government of Manipur was informed every time the Government of India held dialogue with NSCN-IM during the past 10 years.
When RS Pandey was the interlocutor during UPA Government, the State Government was informed about the dialogue and the same tradition continued even after the NDA Government appointed RN Ravi as the interlocutor.
However, as for the peace accord signed yesterday, the State Government was not given any hit, leave apart sharing information, Ibobi stated.
Soon after learning about the peace accord, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh was told in no uncertain terms that the State Government was taken by surprise by the sudden development.
Informing that the State Government was not in a position to give any response to a flurry of queries raised by media, the State Government asked Rajnath Singh to give full text of the accord.
If the accord should be kept a secret, the State Government is as good as dead, Rajnath Singh was told, according to the Chief Minister.
In response, Rajnath stated that the full text of the accord would be tabled in the Parliament today.
However, no Congress MP was present in the Parliament session today following suspension of 25 Congress MPs.
Nonetheless, as stated by the Union Home Minister, a report on the accord was presented in the Parliament today.
It's only a matter of time before the State Government and the people of Manipur have access to the full text of the accord.
Several intelligence agencies of the Government of India have been enquired about the accord but they too maintained that they have little knowledge about it.
Questioning if there is a hidden agenda behind keeping the accord a closely guarded secret, Chief Minister O Ibobi categorically stated that the Government of Manipur would not accept the accord if it contains anything inimical to the integrity of Manipur.
The peace accord should not be taken as the final word for it was singed between the interlocutor and Th Muivah.
"Nonetheless we should all try to get the details of the peace accord", Ibobi added.