Scheduled February 3 tripartite talk UNC set to demand dist rollback decision
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 31 2017: Despite the fact that the United Naga Council has agreed to attend the scheduled tripartite talk on February 3 at New Delhi, it remains to be seen how the talk will proceed as the ongoing economic blockade has been imposed against the decision of the State Government to create seven new districts.

With the economic blockade still on in full force, it is highly likely that the UNC will ask the State Government to roll back the district formation decision which is unlikely to be met by the State Government.

Speaking to The Sangai Express, a key functionary of the UNC, who will be part of the team at the tripartite talk said that the main agenda is to ask the State Government to roll back the decision to form the seven new districts.

Scheduled February 3 tripartite talk UNC set to demand dist rollback decision

Four MoUs have already been inked between the State Government and different Naga civil society organisations that no new district will be created without consulting all the stakeholders, said the UNC functionary.

Moreover the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had also given the assurance that no new district would be created without first consulting all the stakeholders, he added.

Stating that the UNC will make a strong pitch against the creation of the seven new districts and demand the revocation of the same order, the UNC functionary added that they will also demand the unconditional release of UNC president Gaidon Kamei and information secretary Sankhel Stephen.

The release of the UNC leaders will however not be the core issue of the tripartite talk, he added.

The UNC functionary added that even if Gaidon Kamei is not allowed to proceed for the talk to Delhi, the tripartite talk will be held as scheduled.

Interestingly Chief Minister O Ibobi had earlier made it clear to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh that creating districts is within the prerogative of the State Government and no other authority can interfere in the decision of the State Government.