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NEW DELHI: The Union Home Minister, in a meeting with the Manipur Chief Minister and the outgoing Manipur Governor, reviewed the crisis situation that the state is in after the Ukhrul violence and assured full assistance to the state government in order to ensure normalcy in the state.
Alongside, Rajnath Singh also appealed the organizations, primarily the United Naga Council (UNC) to withdraw the blockade.
The UNC had called for an indefinite ban on the vehicular movement on National and State highways beginning from today, in the wake of the killing of two protesters when a clash between the Manipur police and protesters took place.
During the review meeting with Manipur CM Okram Ibobi Singh and outgoing Governor V.K Duggal, Deputy CM Gaikhangam and senior Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) officials, Rajnath Singh asked Manipur government to take all preventive measures to keep the highways free.
“The Home Minister asked Manipur government to take all preventive measures to ensure that highways are kept free and law and order maintained. This should be done in order to protect common people from inconvenience,” said the Home ministry spokesperson.
Further, MHA has assured full cooperation and assistance to the State government.
Maintaining that the Centre is in constant touch with the State government about the situation, the official sources added that the Government is keen to ensure that the supply of essential commodities is not affected due to the road blockade.
Rajnath Singh further appealed to "all concerned parties to help maintain a conducive atmosphere".
In a communiqué through the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Centre said it “expects the Naga organizations to withdraw the call for economic blockade and the ban on national projects, which will cause serious inconvenience and hardship to the common people”.
Quoting the Home MInister, the spokesperson said “It is reiterated that the (central) government is committed to finding a solution to all related issues”.
In this regard, it was informed that the Centre has recently appointed R.N. Ravi as the interlocutor with the mandate to find a negotiated solution in a time-bound manner.
"However, it is imperative that a conducive atmosphere exists for these talks to take place," Rajnath Singh added.
