Source: The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, July 02:
A meeting of MLAs and MPs from Manipur in New Delhi today, resolved to continue with their fight to have the Centre withdraw the NSCN(IM) ceasefire extension into Manipur.
A resolution drawn up during the meeting signed by 32 MLAs and MPs, said that all political parties in the state are unanimous on the issue of taking up strong action if the Centre fail to comply with their demand by July 31.The meeting recalled that the Manipur Assembly had unanimously resolved on four occasions to oppose any design to extend the ceasefire into Manipur territory had these had been communicated to the Central government clearly.
The meeting said it is not just Manipur but Assam and Arunachal Pradesh as well which have misgivings about the nature the Centre went ahead and extended the ceasefire into the states secretly.
It said it is because the Centre so contemptuously disregarded the feelings of the political parties in Manipur as well as the resolutions of the Manipur Legislative Assembly that the people directed their anger at these institutions.
It was more than evident that the general public were disillusioned with these institutions, as their decisions had been so badly trivialized by the Centre.
The resolution said the state MLAs and MPs will not turn back from their pledge to fight for the withdrawal of the ceasefire from Manipur.
Quoting Asian Age July 2 issue, the resolution said the principal negotiator in the June 14 agreement, K Padmanabhaiah, admitted no state governments were consulted at all before going ahead with the agreement.
Among the many central leaders the lobbying state politicians met so far are the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee; Union home minister, LK Advani; Samata Party leader, George Fernandes; BJP president Jana Krishnamurthi; NCP leader Purno Sangma; Telegu Desam leader Y Naidu; JD(U) leader Sarad Yadav; and many more.
They have also met Opposition leaders such as Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Pranab Mukherjee, Madhav Rao Scindia, Harkishan Singh Surjit, AB Vardan, Somnath Chatterjee, Laloo Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Ram Vilash Paswan and others.