The Centre has rushed additional 4,000 paramilitary personnel to Manipur to remove 56-day-long blockades on the national highways imposed by Naga groups. “Our top priority is now to reopen the National Highway-2 connecting Manipur to Nagaland. While the other highway (NH-37) is reopened, we want to reopen the NH-2 too as early as possible,” said a senior Home Ministry official. At present 13,500 security personnel are stationed in different parts of highways to maintain law and order.
The security personnel were sent to the Northeastern State keeping in view the security situation in the wake of violence following the economic blockade imposed by the Union Naga Council (UNC) on the national highways since November 1. The UNC has imposed the economic blockade on NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) and NH 37 (Imphal-Jiribam) that serve as lifelines for the landlocked Manipur.
Curfew has been clamped in Imphal East district for the last fortnight after a mob torched and vandalised 22 passenger vehicles on the Imphal-Ukhrul road, while curfew in Imphal West district was imposed from evening to dawn.
Meanwhile, the BJP has appealed the UNC to immediately withdraw the ongoing economic blockade on the highways of Manipur. BJP spokesperson N Biren in Imphal appealed to the UNC to withdraw the blockade which entered its 56th day on Monday and sought “another forum” to achieve its demands.
Biren was speaking to the reporters on his return from Delhi, where an eight-member BJP delegation met top Central leaders, including Rajnath Singh on the issue. He said, “The ruling Congress Government is answerable to the people of the State for the hardship faced by them”.
He questioned whether it has made any formal effort at the Centre regarding the presence of NSCN(IM) camps in the Manipur, the number of its cadre present in the State. Biren also sought to know whether there have been any effort to demolish the NSCN(IM)’s designated camps in the State as the ceasefire agreement between NSCN(IM) and the Centre does not cover Manipur.
He also asked whether the State Government has made any move to identify the perpetrators of the twin ambush on Manipur police at lokchao and Bongyang in Tengnoupal district which claimed the lives of three policemen earlier this month.
He said the BJP was for a neutral CBI or NIA enquiry into the attacks on Manipur police. later, lone BJP MlA Bishwajit said BJP’s philosophy is nation first, party second and self last.
last week, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had cautioned Chief Ministers of Manipur and Nagaland to maintain law and order and told them that the Centre would take stern actions. Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who had visited Congress-ruled Manipur as a Central emissary, had said it is completely unacceptable to have such kinds of blockades in which thousands are suffering and both the Central and Manipur Governments will work together to end it.
“The State Government has not been able to end the blockade. It must end as soon as possible as law and order is the responsibility of the State Government. Nobody will be allowed to take political advantage out of a humanitarian crisis where common people are suffering,” he had said.