Regional parties to reassert power in NE
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Imphal, October 04 2013 : Spearheading a major initiative towards strengthening the regional political parties in the North East, Asom Gana Parishad is organising a meeting of these parties in Guwahati this month.

Key issues confronting the region will also be discussed during the proposed two-day meeting from October 21-22 at Brahmaputra Hotel in the Assam capital.

Former Chief Minister of Assam Prafulla Kr Mahanta will preside over the meeting.

AGP's working President Atul Bora and secretary general Pradip Hazarika arrived in Imphal on Friday in a two-day visit to the state.

More than 10 regional parties of NE including Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Sikkim are taking part in the meeting, Bora told newsmen at the Manipur People's Party (MPP) office here.

He said former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telegu Desam Party (TDP) supremo Chandrababu Naidu and Punjab Chief Minister and Akali Dal chief Surjit Singh Barnala have also been invited in the meeting.

Bora also said Nagaland Chief Minister and Naga People's Front (NPF) leader Neiphiu Rio will represent the party in the meeting and informed that all preparations have been made to discuss all the key issues of the region in the meeting.

Flaying the Congress Government at the Centre, the AGP leader alleged that the UPA Government has completely ignored growth for the NE and sidelined all the major issues of the region.

Bora said till now, New Delhi has never tried to bring a solution on the 'foreigner issue' that had hit hard Assam from early 1979 to 1985 and expressed concern about Assam being swamped by illegal immigrants.

"It's time to strengthen all the regional parties and unite them under a common platform to enable them to solve all the issues," Bora said.

The issue of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) and its impact on the people of the region will also be put up for discussion in the meeting, he said.

Bora, meanwhile, said he will meet anti-AFSPA crusader Irom Chanu Sharmila during the visit and has sought permission from Manipur Home Department in this regard.

Sharmila is now on fast for more than 12 years demanding repeal of AFSPA from Manipur.

Pradip Hazarika said the Indo-Myanmar Border fencing issue has become an intricate issue that has been neglected by the Centre which needs to take steps on time to address it by understanding the sentiment of the people of Manipur.

Manipur Peoples Party (MPP) president N Sovakiran informed that the party will put up the issues like AFSPA, Indo-Myanmar Border Fencing and Inner Line Permit in the meeting of the regional parties.

The MPP leader said the party will render support to the proposed 12-hour Manipur bandh being called on October 7 by the Committee on Protection of Land in Border Fencing, Manipur (CPLBFM) over the Indo-Myanmar issue.

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