Imphal, September 05: In a last-minute dramatic development, a delegation of the working committee of Apunba Lup, the group of 32 organisations, which is spearheading the agitation for withdrawal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the entire State tonight agreed to meet the Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, who is on his maiden visit to strife-torn Manipur.

Though the seven-member delegation of Apunba Lup had been toying with the idea of having a meeting with Mr Patil, one of their working committee members, Sapam Kangleipal, President of Manipur Forward Youth Front (MFYF), had been arrested by the police here last night.

His arrest threw the spanner in the works and the group made its intention clear of calling off its scheduled meeting with Mr Patil.

Manipur Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi Singh, told The Hindu that efforts were being made to get the MFYF leader released on bail to enable the Apunba Lup delegation meet the Union Home Minister at Raj Bhavan.

Apunba Lup has been in the forefront of the agitation against continuance of the AFSPA in Manipur ever since the Manorama Devi's killing on July 11 sparked off violent protests in Imphal and elsewhere .

Political observers here attributed "considerable importance" to the development, saying that Apunba Lup's delegation meeting Mr Patil would send a "positive signal" in the State and help in soothing the frayed tempers and inflamed passions of the agitationists.

Though they ruled out any concrete outcome from Patil-Apunba Lup meeting, the fact that it was taking place was in itself worth taking note of.

After the day-long wait and much dilly-dallying, the delegation of Apunba Lup reached the Raj Bhavan tonight.

Vowing to deal with the situation in Manipur with "sympathy and understanding", Mr Patil appeared to be doing a tight-rope walking as he embarked upon his first visit to this North-Eastern State that has been in the grip of a violent agitation for the past two months.

Mr Patil arrived here from Shillong this afternoon and was immediately locked in a number of meetings with the public delegations, former Chief Ministers, political groups, opposition MLAs, top officials of the State government and security agencies.

He also had separate meetings with the State Governor, S.S.Sidhu and the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh.

Running behind schedule by about two hours due to bad weather, Mr Patil's maiden visit to Imphal was greeted by a general strike, called by Apunba Lup, the group of 32 organisations leading the agitation demanding withdrawal of the controversial AFSPA from the entire State.

Normal life came to a standstill as the city wore a deserted look.

All main markets were closed and children merrily turned otherwise busy streets into impromptu playgrounds, watched by security personnel.

Security was tightened for the Home Minister's visit and the road to the city from airport and all main roundabouts were dotted by personnel of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Mainpur police.

The three former Chief Ministers - Reishang Keishing, Radhabinod Koijam and Wahengbam Nipamacha Singh - who met Mr Patil at Raj Bhavan here said they had a "frank and detailed" discussion with the Home Minister.

Talking to reporters, the three former Chief Ministers said they were interested in a lasting solution to the problem in Manipur and pointed out that the incident of Manorama Devi's killing by Assam Rifles' personnel on July 11 was not related to insurgency.

Favouring dialogue with the insurgent outfits, Mr Keishing, Mr Koijam and Mr Singh, felt it was high time that the Centre started talking in "specific terms" rather than indulging in generalities.

"Agitators of the movement against continuation of AFSPA are not underground elements.

Dialogue can be initiated with them.," they said.

They disproved of the delay in handing out "exemplary" punishment to the guilty Assam Rifles' personnel allegedly involved in the rape and killing of 32-year-old Manorama Devi.

"What is the action taken by the Centre or the State government? It was the mishandling of the situation by the State government that led to an explosive situation and spreading of the agitation widely in the State.

If the Centre is concerned about national security, people in Manipur are frustrated and tired of excesses and violation of human rights," they said.

The veteran leaders said their suggestion to Mr Patil was to hold expeditious trial into the Manorama Devi case, concrete assurance that people would not be subjected to excesses by security forces in future and removal of draconian laws, including the AFSPA.

Arguing that the Act had not been able to check insurgency over the past 24 years, they were in favour of lifting of the Act from Manipur for about a month on an experimental basis.

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