Imphal, December 04 2010: Manipur Peoples' Party (MPP) today came down upon the state government for sending its representatives to the talks with the United Naga Council (UNC) at Senapati district headquarters yesterday.

The sending of state representatives has indicated that Manipur government is helping the forces who are trying to disintegrate the territorial boundary of the state, said MPP president, Dr Nimaichand Luwang today addressing a press conference held at the MPP office.

He said that the party considered the tripartite talks a plot to break the territorial integrity of the state.

He said there is involvement of the Congress led SPF government in the process.

Congress party has been a threat to the territorial integrity of the state since 1968, he alleged.

The party questioned the government of Manipur for sending the chief secretary DS Poonia to the talks, and sought a clarification and explanation from the government of Manipur on the term "alternative" allegedly used by the participants.

"Does it mean that the government of Manipur is assuring granting of state or a union territory" .

The party also condemns the Centre for initiating the tripartite talks between Centre, State government and UNC, he said informing that a memorandum has also been submitted to Congress supremo and UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi urging her to clarify the stance of the party on the matter point by point on the role of the Congress party.

Citing the content of the memorandum, he said way back in 1964, he said that the seeds for disintegration had been sown with the extension of an agreement on the suspension of operations signed between the government of India and Naga rebels operating in Nagaland to three erstwhile sub-divisions of Manipur, Ukhrul, Mao and Tamenglong which have been since been upgraded to districts.

"This uncalled for action of the Central government triggered a great apprehension and suspicion in the minds of the people of Manipur.

Quite naturally the people of Manipur and some political parties of the state raised objections.

This move of the Central government had sown the seeds of disintegration of Manipur's territory," he observed.

He recalled that another important political episode took place in August 4, 1972 in which a merger agreement was signed between the Indian National Congress party and the then United Naga Council, under the terms of which the Congress party "does not oppose Naga Integration Movement and does not consider Naga Integration Movement as anti-party, anti-national, anti-state and an unconstitutional activity" .

The fall out of the said agreement became visible in 1997 when a peace talk was initiated between the government of India and the NSCN (IM) which has caused unrest in Manipur.

Things became more serious when the cease fire between NSCN (IM) and GoI was extended without territorial limit on June 14, 2001 leading to violent protests and objections in the form of a mass upheaval.

Such grim situations and unwanted conflagrations emerge in the state from time to time because of the commitment of the Congress party to the terms and conditions of the merger agreement of the then UNIC and Congress, the MPP charged and asked Sonia Gandhi to give a reply on her party's stance.

The memorandum also demanded to declare null and void the terms and conditions of the merger agreement between Congress and UNIC so that no further conflagration takes place on the issue of territorial integration.

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