MPP ready to debate Naga integration in Assembly, says O Joy
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, January 21, 2012: Warmly welcoming the speech of Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio where he publicly declared that the NPF candidates, if elected, will certainly take up the Naga issues in the Manipur state assembly, MPP MLA, O Joy has said that MPP is all set to face the debate of Naga integration if it is brought up in the state assembly.

Speaking at a reception function held at the party office today to welcome its Vice President Y Mangi who had been in the Central jail for over two months under NSA, MLA O Joy said that the party is contesting in the State Assembly election with the motive of safeguarding the territorial integrity of the state, bringing political solution to the issue of insurgency, repealing AFSPA, combating influx of outsiders in the state and also the problems of drug issue in the state.

The people of the state should carefully discuss among themselves on these issues in connection with the coming Assembly polls.

He further said that Manipur was once an independent nation.

After the integration of Manipur in the Indian Union, the people of the state have been deprived of their political and economic rights and it is because of these facts and the feeling that Manipur was forcefully merged into the Indian Union, that insurgency has come up.

And to bring a solution to the insurgency, AFSPA was imposed in the state.

But it led to numerous instances of violation of human rights by the security forces under the shadow of this Act.

He also pointed out that Manipur was merged into the Indian Union along with its own territory, its own identity and culture.

The NSCN (IM) and the Indian government should not bring up the issue of creating Greater Nagaland by breaking the territorial integrity of Manipur.

The territorial integrity of Manipur should not be 'dragged' into the ongoing Indo-Naga talks and no one should be allowed to mention it in the process.

There is no harm in Naga integration so long as they don't disturb the territorial integrity of Manipur.

Cautioning the people of Manipur on the issue of territorial integrity of the State, O Joy also warned the electors to 'think twice' while casting their votes in the coming January 28 general elections and asked the voters to ponder over who will safeguard it.

.OJoy also expressed unhappiness over the rampant corruption, favoritism and nepotism which are in practice in the State where the people are facing armed conflict situation and political conflict.

He also warned the electorate to be fully aware as to who can solve such difficult problems.

"Protection of identity is also very, very important," O Joy said and described the current state of affairs in Manipur as "landless people are waiting to grab our land whenever opportunity comes".

MPP president Dr Nimaichand Luwang asserted that Mangi's release from jail after 68 days had proven his innocence, saying that his detention under National Security Act (NSA) was politically motivated act committed by his political rival.

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