Plebiscite needs support of other groups: Meghen
Women in Guwahati welcomes Meghen
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, January 11 2011: Arrested UNLF chairman, RK Meghen today made it clear that a plebiscite is the only option to solve Manipur's problem and that the outfit still stands for it.

He said this talking to reporters at NIA Court Complex, Pan Bazar in Guwahati where he was produced in the special NIA court.

He will be produced in the same court on January 24 .

Meghen aka Sanayaima added that without the support of the people and the building up of a united strength of the revolutionary groups of the state, the UNLF demands could not be achieved.

As RK Meghen was produced in the NIA court, around 200 women from the states of Assam, Manipur and Shillong (Meghalaya) gathered at the court complex to give him a rousing welcome displaying placards supporting his stand.

"Eikhoi plebiscite pammi (We want plebiscite), India-Manipur conflict loisanlu (resolve the India-Manipur conflict), UNLF-gi chairman yaona atei khutlai paiba kanbu-sing Manipur-da transfer tou (transfer UGs including UNLF chairman to Manipur) were the slogans written on the placards.

TheUNLF chairman met the women one by one while he was in the court room.

He reiterated his stand on resolving Manipur's conflict through a plebiscite.

An unidentified Manipuri women reaching out to the UNLF leader

In a reply to queries from the reporters, Meghen made it clear that he was not arrested by a combined team of Indian intelligence and its Bangladeshi counterpart but by a team of Bangladesh intelligence who handed him over to personnel of the Intelligence Bureau in West Bengal.

He was taken into NIA custody for 36 hours as against the law of the land not allowing custodial detention more than 24 hours.

Meghen also said arresting him Motihari in Bihar was a propaganda of the Indian government.

He was kept in a solidarity confinement for 61 days.

During the confinement period, he was interrogated by officials of various intelligence agencies of India.

He was finally produced in court when the voice of the people rose in his favour, he added.

Asserting that India follows its own judicial laws and since Manipur is another country, he was not sure whether he could get justice under Indian law but it will be known after the trial concludes.

Making an appeal to the people of Manipur to struggle unitedly for the right to self determination, Meghen observed that any force can be withstood if the people stand united.

He also believed that if the people of Manipur kept on pressing for a plebiscite, one day people of other countries will also support it.

Today's production of Meghen in NIA court was the third time after he was 'arrested' from Motihari.

Four other UNLF members who were arrested from Guwahati were also produced in the same court today.

They were Nongyai alias Joy, S Rakesh, M Landhoni and Tridip Nath.