NPP mulls pull-out from Govt if crisis deepens
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 17 2023: While urging both the state and central governments to take effective steps to bring back peace and normalcy in the state at the earliest, National People's Party (NPP) cautioned that it might withdraw support to the government if the situa tion worsens.

Executive body meet of the NPP, Manipur held Friday at its office at Naoremthong discussed in depth the prevailing situation in Manipur.

Addressing media persons after the meet, NPP state president Y Joykumar said it will never compromise on territorial integrity of Manipur and party's stand is that government withdraw SoO and punish Kuki militants.

He said that state government as guardians of the people has the responsibility to protect lives and properties of the people.

According to Joykumar, many youths have become emotional due to large num bers of casualties suffered in the ongoing violence.

The general population demanding issuance of firearms should not be taken lightly as more casualties is imminent if they take up arms as they are not trained, he said and urged both the state and Central governments to prevent unwanted incident.

The NPP president further said that the party might withdraw support to the government if the situation worsens.

The 15 days' time that Union home minister Amit Shah had given to bring a solution to the ongoing violence end on Friday but nothing is visible to resolve the crisis even as the situation becomes more serious, he pointed out.

According to Joykumar, law & order is a state subject and the Centre has no responsibility in it.

However, there is unclear report about imposition of Article 355 of Indian Constitution and the security advisor sent by the Centre had already taken charge of the Unified Command supposed to be led by the chief minister.

This has confused the public whether the state has power or the Centre has taken over power from the state, Joykumar said and expressed suspicion if contentious in power is hampering efforts to resolve the crisis.

According to Joykumar, Suspension of Operation (SoO) with Kuki militants was signed in 2008 when he was DGP.

After the Assam Rifles was found maintaining cease fire with Kuki militants, the tripartite SoO agreement was signed between Kuki militants ana the state and Central government.

When the matter of Kuki homeland figured in the agreement, state government insisted that the agreement should not contain any clause which would distort territorial integrity of Manipur and accordingly signed the agreement with the understanding on the matter.

The ground rule of SoO also mentions that security forces could fire if the militants violates ground rule.

In the ongoing violence, there are enough evidences of Kuki militants violating SoO ground rules and involvement of UKLF in torching of houses in Serou was also proven, he said and stressed the need for reviewing SoO agreement.

The NPP state united president also said that Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sar-ma and BJP leader Ram Madhav should clarity over allegation levelled against them by UKLF.

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