TNL to boycott CM's visit to Ukhrul
Source: The Sangai Express

Ukhrul, October 12 2016: The Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) has strongly opposed the proposed visit of Chief Minister O Ibobi to inaugurate the 100 bedded district hospital, SBI bank, 132/33 power station, 33/11 sub-station and to upgrade LM Block all at Ukhrul.

Amid the hectic security arrangements and other necessary preparations to welcome the Chief Minister along with his council of Ministers including two Congress MLAs Preshaw Shimray and Victor Keishing, the TNL announced that it will boycott the visit of the Chief Minister and abstain from attending the inauguration functions to be held on Saturday at different places of Ukhrul district.

The TNL has asked all Tangkhul leaders, headmen, social leaders, civil society organisations, NGOs etc not to respond to the invitation to the inauguration functions and to support its call to mark the protest against the 'communal State Government' .

According to official sources, the scheduled inauguration programmes are to be held on October 15 at three different blocks of Ukhrul district (the abandoned cement factory, Hungpung, Tangrei, Ukhrul, Matanlamkaza Chingai block headquarters and LM Block in between Teinem and Phalee of western Tangkhul village) .

The TNL yesterday held an emergency consultative meeting with the Tangkhul Headmen Association (TNWL), chairmen of four Tangkhul zones at TNL office chaired by vice president of TNL P Peimi.

During the consultative meeting, they re-affirmed the stance of the 3rd Naga Peoples' Convention declaration of July 1, 2010 at Senapati.

The Nagas had declared severance of ties with the State Government citing many reasons particularly the stiff opposition to the visit of Thuingaleng Muivah to his native village at Somdal in May 2010.Thereafter on May 6, two innocent youths were killed by Manipur police commandos during a crackdown on a protest.

The TNL further recalled the promulgation of CrPc 144 in Ukhrul district in July 2014 and the deployment of police commandos which led to widespread protest and in the course of the protest two youths Ramkashing and Mayopam were killed in police action on August 30, 2014 .

The TNL further re-iterated the decision of the public meeting held on October 20, 2015 .

Two Congress MLAs Mk Preshaw Shimray of Chingai Assembly Constituency and Victor Keishing of Phungyar AC have also been ex-communicated for rejecting and denying the people's demand to resign from the Assembly to show solidarity to the protest of the tribals against the passing of the three 'anti-tribals Bills' by the State Assembly last year.

According to the TNL VP, the two Congress MLAs inspite of repeated appeals and calls had failed to respond to the public demand.

Apart from the expulsion, the TNL had also barred them from visiting the Tangkhul soil.

The stand of the TNL still stands, stated Peimi.

The TNL will hold an emergency meeting tomorrow for the neighbouring villages inviting village leaders, chairmen and the public separately.

The meeting will discuss the course action to be taken up in order to ensure the public support the call of TNL in the wider interest of the Nagas.

The TNL further appealed the public of Ukhrul district especially Tangkhuls not to attend, abstain from attending the inauguration programmes to register their protest and to highlight the condemnation of the visit of the Congress legislators to Ukhrul district.

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