GUWAHATI: Manipur’s apex social organisation of the Nagas, United Naga Council (UNC), has asked the Congress government in the state to address the “core issue” for the restoration of peace.
The reaction came two days after the Congress had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare the UNC as an unlawful organisation.
“Why should the UNC be banned? Let them address the core issue, which is the creation of seven districts. Everything will be alright then,” UNC general secretary Milan Shimray told Express on Monday.
“The chief minister should respect the sentiments of the people. He may have the political authority to take any decision but he should see if the people are with him or his government. In a democracy, the voices of the people should be listened to and only then there will be peace,” the UNC leader said.
He alleged that all political parties were double-dealing in the ongoing “economic blockade”, which the UNC enforced on two national highways in the state since November 1, in protest against the creation of the seven districts.
“But, we are not concerned about electoral politics. What we are concerned about is our land. If they respect our land, culture and history, we will do the same. But if they take a decision at their advantage, we cannot say yes to it,” Shimray asserted.
He said unlike the Ibobi government, all governments in the past had invariably sought the permission of the Nagas when they took up any project in Naga areas. He alleged that the Ibobi government’s deviation from tradition through its unilateral decision on the creation of the seven districts was for political gains.
The Congress on Saturday had urged the Centre to declare the UNC as unlawful for its “illegal, anti-national and anti-people activities”.
A resolution of Congress legislature party meeting read: “This (blockade) has affected the social harmony in the state and caused unbearable hardships to the people of Manipur by denying their right to live”.
However, the Opposition parties alleged that the Congress was fanning communal passion by trying to divide the tribals and the non-tribals and by building an anti-tribal mood. They alleged the ruling party was doing this for political mileage in the upcoming elections scheduled for March.