Principal Home Secretary Suresh Babu in Delhi to apprise situation to MEA and MHA
State gears up to welcome ASEAN-India Car Rally
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 12 2012: In the face of the decision adopted by the Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) to boycott the ASEAN-India Car Rally, which is scheduled to reach Moreh on December 15, Principal Secretary (Home), Dr Suresh Babu has been deputed to Delhi to meet officials of the Union Ministry of External Affairs and Union Ministry of Home Affairs to ensure that the rally passes through Manipur without a hitch.

Pursuing their demand for a Kuki State or Zalengam as well as to initiate political dialogues with the armed groups under the SoO pact, the KSDC had yesterday announced that it would boycott the ASEAN-India Car Rally as well as enforce a public blockade in all Kuki inhabited areas from the evening of December 14 .

Speaking to The Sangai Express, a reliable source said that Dr Suresh Babu is scheduled to meet officials from the Union Home Ministry on the demand put up by the SoO signatories to initiate a political dialogue as soon as possible.

ASEAN India Car Rally route

The demand raised by the Kuki National Organisation to give a written assurance that a political dialogue would be initiated soon will also be on the agenda of the meeting with MHA officials.

Dr Suresh Babu is also scheduled to meet officials from the Union Ministry of External Affairs to discuss the ASEAN-India Car Rally which is scheduled to enter India through Moreh on December 15 .

While the KSDC has announced its decision to boycott the rally, asserting that not a single vehicle of the rally would be allowed to enter 'Kuki territory', the United Naga Council has announced it would welcome the rally.

With the KSDC announcing its decision to boycott the car rally, safe passage of the rally will also feature high on the agenda of the discussion with the Union Home Ministry's officials, said the source further.

The ASEAN-India car rally was flagged off from Jogyakarta in Indonesia on November 26 with a ceremonial flag off from Singapore and after passing through eight of the ten South East Asia countries is poised to enter India through Moreh on December 15 .

The route of the rally covers Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and India.

From Moreh, the rally will proceed to Guwahati and wind up at Delhi.

On being contacted, Joint Secretary in the Home Ministry and in charge of North East, Shambhu Singh said that if the Government of Manipur approaches the Centre for any assistance to ensure the safe passage of the rally, the needful will be done.

Talking to The Sangai Express, Shambhu Singh said that the question of initiating a political dialogue with the SoO signatories can be taken up after the ongoing session of Parliament.

This is in line with what Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam had conveyed to the KSDC earlier, he added.

In the December 5 meeting with the Kuki National Organisation, Shambhu Singh said that the demand for a written assurance was raised in the first minute itself.

It was made clear to the KNO representatives that a written assurance can be given only after the Union Cabinet discusses the matter and passes it accordingly, he said and added that there are certain procedures that have to be followed.

The KNO had refused to sign on the extension pact of the SoO but it has not been abrogated.

Significantly, the KNO had earlier accused the Joint Secretary of keeping the Union Home Minister on the matter in the dark.