Amit Shah meets CSOs in Imphal over Naga issue

December 28, 2020 49 Views No Comment

Correspondent IMPHAL, DEC 27 (NPN) : Before concluding his short visit to Manipur on Sunday, Union Home minister Amit Shah met representatives of some civil society organisations (CSOs) here and discussed about the Naga political issue. He met representatives of Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), United Naga Council (UNC), Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) and Zeliangrong Baudi Assam, Manipur and Nagaland (ZB-AMN) at Hotel Classic Grande here. Chief minister N Biren Singh was also present on the occasion.

Accompanied by Union DoNER minister Dr Jitendra Singh, Shah arrived at Imphal International Airport around 12.30 pm and concluded his visit and returned to New Delhi at 7 p.m. after the meeting with CSO representatives.

COCOMI convenor Sunil Karam said the apex body of CSOs during the meeting urged the Centre not to take a decision that could compromise the territorial integrity of Manipur while finalising the proposed Naga peace accord.

In response, he said Shah assured that the Centre would not do anything that would harm the territorial integrity of Manipur nor take any decision that would be against the interest of people of the State, Karam told reporters after the meeting. He said COCOMI had put up a demand for special status for Manipur which Shah noted down and assured to discuss matters later at an appropriate time.

When COCOMI leaders conveyed the firm stand of the people of Manipur for protection of territorial integrity of the State, he said the Union home minister replied that the Centre took the matter very seriously.

As the Centre was very much concerned over the matter, people of the state should not worry, Shah assured, he added. The committee also demanded a special status for Manipur that would protect the interests of all indigenous communities, Karam added. The convenor further asserted that COCOMI and people of Manipur would not accept at any cost any solution based on ethnic lines.

Meanwhile, UNC president S Kho John said the council leaders had a free and frank discussion with Amit Shah and conveyed the wishes of Nagas in Manipur regarding the proposed Naga peace accord. On the other hand, ZB-AMN tabled a demand for creation of a separate territorial council for the Zeliangrong community.

Its president Poupoklung Kamei said they had also submitted a memorandum containing details of their demand to the Union home minister. On its part, KIM reminded the Central minister about its long-pending demand for delivering justice to Kuki victims of the genocide by NSCN (I-M) before settling the vexed Naga political issue. The organisation asserted during the meeting that the Kukis would not accept any solution to the Naga issue unless justice was delivered to the victims.

Source: http://www.nagalandpost.com/amit-shah-meets-csos-in-imphal-over-naga-issue/226602.html