Source: The Imphal Free Press
New Delhi, July 06 (PTI):
Government is willing to have a resolution adopted in Parliament on protection of the territorial integrity of northeastern states following the extension of area coverage of ceasefire with NSCN (IM), home minister LK Advani said today.
The territorial integrity of all northeastern states will be protected and there will not be any compromise on this issue, Advani said while allaying apprehensions raised by MPs at the meeting of the consultative committee of his ministry here.
Responding to unanimous appeal from the committee members that there should not be any violation of territorial integrity of these states, he said government would be willing to have a resolution passed in Parliament on the protection of territorial integrity of the northeastern states to allay fears and apprehensions in the minds of the people.
When committee members pointed out that that there should have been wider consultations with all concerned state governments and other organisations before the agreement was signed, Advani said it was not correct that Centre had not consulted the state governments.
Advani said chief ministers were consulted on different occasions on the issue and there was a unanimous view for extension of the truce to bring peace in the region, according to an official release.
He also mentioned about his meeting with the all- party delegation before he left for a three-nation tour.
Referring to the prevailing situation in Manipur, he said a high-level delegation led by minister of state for home ID Swami is now in the state to talk to various organisations like the All Manipur Students Union and leading women�s body, meira paibis, to know their views on the issue.
Advani informed the members that the report of the team would be discussed at a meeting convened by Prime Minister in touch with the NSCN (IM) on the issue.
After a resume on the truce right from 1997, Pandey said there were enough safeguards in the ground rules and clarified that no area can be defined as Naga-inhabited area outside Nagaland.