Ongoing talks with UNC : April 10 deadline
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: March 29 2018 -

Cease work strike in pursuance of the 7th Pay on.

Campaign to include Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribe list of the Constitution of India and those who are against such a proposal.

The movement launched by the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System to work out a Bill to regulate the inflow of non-local people to the State.

The ongoing dialogue with the United Naga Council (UNC) and the deadline of April 10 for the Government to take a final call on the demand raised to roll back the decision to create the new districts which were adopted during the term of the previous Congress Government and clearly the pressure on the Government is understandable.

With the deadline of April 10 set by the UNC within shaking hands distance, it would be interesting to see how the BJP led Government respond to the situation.

What will be the stand of the Government ?

Rolling back the decision to create the districts will throw the State into another round of chaos and mayhem and one may safely rule out such a possibility.

On the other hand, with the UNC set on sticking to its demand, what is the way forward for the BJP led Government ?

Moreover what proposal will the State Government come up with before April 10 ?

No definite answer here, but surely the Government cannot be seen to be selling out to the UNC and plunge the State further into chaos and mayhem.

Then what is the way forward ?

Tough to say, but it is fortunate that the NPF is on board the BJP led Government and Chief Minister N Biren may use his good rapport with the NPF to bail the Government out.

Moreover the new found sense of camaderie with the hill people may be put to good use now.

Tough to say what the response of the UNC will be but remember the BJP came to power riding on the slogan of ‘blockade, bandh free Manipur’.

This is where it will be interesting to see how the BJP led Government manages to work its way out without upsetting the apple cart.

Any roll back of the district creation can have disastrous repercussions and the BJP led Government must surely be aware of this.

Likewise the UNC too must be aware of this bare fact and it would be interesting to see how it manages to change the focus of its negotiation with the Government.

This is where the role of the Centre can become crucial.

District formation is purely a State subject but remember the Union Home Ministry has been part of the tripartite talks from day one and how it deals with the situation can go a long way in settling the matter.

This is where it helps to have a friendly Government at the Centre and New Delhi must have every reason to be happy that a BJP led Government has been installed at Imphal after 15 consecutive years of Congress rule.

A lot will also depend on the personal rapport that Chief Minister N Biren shares with the Central leaders.

This is what is expected from the leader of a people for afterall the Chief Minister is the leader of the people and this should not blow over the heads of anyone.