January 11: Most happiest day in CM Ibobi's life
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, January 13 2013 : After a direct confrontation with Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in the presence of Congress President Sonia Gandhi over the probable outcome of disturbing the territorial integrity of Manipur in the process of bringing about a solution to the protracted peace process between the Government of India and NSCN (IM) Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh has been able to bring back the lost smile on his face once again.

According to a highly reliable source, after the confrontation, Chief Minister O Ibobi called up one of his closest aides in the State to tell that "January 11 has been the happiest day in my life" .

The source further revealed that Chief Minister O Ibobi not only confronted Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde but also the interlocutor of Indian Government RS Pandey at New Delhi on January 11 in the presence of Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

During the confrontation, Chief Minister Ibobi also elaborated on the composition of the total population of Manipur, the number of ethnic communities in the state and their exact population, the developmental programmes taken up by the State Government in the hills of the State and showed a map of Manipur to Sonia Gandhi.

Furthermore, Chief Minister O Ibobi took Sonia Gandhi into confidence that there is a specific rule of law on Manipur which allows the people of the hills to live, settle or buy lands in the plain but denies the same privilege to the people of the plain if they want to settle in the hills.

A list of tribal IAS and MCS officers who are presently working in the Civil Secretariat, which is the backbone of the State government, was also presented to Sonia Gandhi and pin-pointed out that the number of tribal IAS and MCS officers is much higher than that of the Meeteis, thus indicating that the Meeteis have been left far behind and are in fact in an unfavourable situation, the source added.

The Chief Minister also clarified that the little-eye dazzling scene at Imphal is just to maintain the status of being a capital city, where even people of all the ethnic tribes are settling.

As such, there is no such thing like 'sidelining the people of the hills' and discrimination of them.

Moreover, there has never been any case where the developmental funds sanctioned for the hills are diverted.

ON the contrary, the funds sanctioned for the development of the hill areas are being misused by the hill people themselves and the NSCN (IM) is playing a big role in blaming the majority Meetei community for allegedly not taking up developmental programmes for the tribals.

The source said that it is not known what the Centre really wants from Chief Minister O Ibobi and what steps he should take up at this point of time.

Granting Sixth Schedule would mean disintegrate the people of State who have been living in peace and harmony.

Nonetheless, during the meeting, Chief Minister O Ibobi made it clear that if the Centre keeps on insisting to take up the works according to it wishes, then it should give that in writing so that he can discuss the matter with his Council of Ministers and the people of the State.

He conveyed that more than the opinions of his Council of Ministers, it is the people of Manipur whose opinion matters the most and so if the people of Manipur agrees to any proposal of the centre, he (O Ibobi) would have no objection, otherwise he could do nothing, said the source.

After giving a patient hearing to Chief Minister O Ibobi, Sonia Gandhi showed sign of disagreement with whatever Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Sinde and interlocutor RS Pandey have been feeding her ears and asked them what they have been doing for so long.

That was the most happiest moment in the life of Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, the source added.

The Chief Minister also told his closest person that Congress President and Chairperson of UPA, Sonia Gandhi was never aware of India Government's siding with NSCN-IM and its intention to bring in a separate government inside Manipur, the source informed.

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