The BJP government took over early this week, outwitting the Congress, which had emerged as the single largest party in the just concluded elections.
Seen as the first major achievement of the newly formed BJP-led government in the north-eastern state of Manipur, the economic blockade put in place by the United Naga Council (UNC) came to an end on Sunday night.
The 139-day blockade had crippled the state's transport and hit essential supplies. Long queues at fuel stations had became a common sight. In capital Imphal, the price of LPG cylinders had shot up to Rs 2,000 while diesel sold for Rs120-140 per litre in the black market.
The BJP government took over early this week, outwitting the Congress, which had emerged as the single largest party in the just concluded elections.
The blockade started on November 1 after former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh carved out seven new districts in the state. The protesting Naga groups had cut off two of Manipur's arterial roads, connecting it with Assam and Nagaland, from November 1. This deprived the state of essential commodities.
The decision to lift the siege was announced after the Naga leaders met the representatives of the Manipur government on Sunday. The UNC leaders said they are giving time to the Centre as well as the state government to hold talks with the Naga leaders to resolve their issues.
The redistribution of districts led to the carving out of Senapati, Ukhrul and Chandel to form Kangpokpi, a district dominated by the Kuki tribes. While the Kuki tribes have been demanding their own state, the Nagas have been uniequivocally against it.
The strife that followed the three controversial Inner Line Permit (ILP) Bills brought the warring Naga tribes and the Kuki tribes together-- the new districts proved to be a bone of contention between them.
The talks were held at the DRDA hall at Senapati between the Centre, the state and the Naga leaders. The state government was represented by Additional Chief Secretary Suresh Babu and Commissioner (Home) Radha Kumar, while Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), North East incharge, Satyender Garg, represented the Centre.
Former UNC presidents Paul Leo, Samson Remei, and Lohrii Adani, UNC general secretary S Milan, All Naga Students' Association Manipur (ANSAM) President Seth Shatsang and Naga Women's Union (NMU) President LM Tabitha were the Naga leaders who took part in talks which went on for over three hours.
Speaking to DNA, former UNC President Paul Leo said that they lifted the blockade to give the new government a chance to discuss their demands. "The government assured us that our issues will be discussed and they acknowledged that the that the stakeholders should have been consulted before the division of districts. They also agreed that the December 8 notification (of the division of state) was a violation of the three MOUs that have been signed earlier, in addiction to a written assurance by the Centre in 2011," said Leo.
Seth Shatsang said that the move will ensure the release of two UNC members Gaidon Kamei and Stephen. On whether the rolling back of the districts is a possibility, Leo said that that, too, was discussed.
The UNC and other Naga bodies extended their support to the Nagaland People's Front, which is part of the BJP coalition. The BJP had promised to end the blockade in its election manifesto.
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