State likely to come under siege, CM in Delhi

Newmai News Network
IMPHAL, Aug 21: If the state government of Manipur continues to remain inert for the next few more days regarding the hill districts indefinite bandh, most of the activities in the state capital Imphal or for that matter in the valley districts are likely to come to a grinding halt. Indefinite bandh is underway in the hill districts of Senapati, Tamenglong, Ukhrul and Chandel sponsored by various organisations over the demand for new districts creation imbroglio. Things are getting murkier with every passing day over the issue.

Meanwhile, vehicles snaking at the oil pumps have become common scenes in the last few days in Imphal. Going by the past records, the scarcity of fuel had prompted educational institutions to halt functioning. As stocks of commodities getting depleted fast with supply lines choked, the patience of the denizens is being tested. The number of pages of the newspapers published in Manipur have also been reduced considerably due to the scarcity of printing materials.

Over 20 days have passed since the free-flow of traffic in all the national highways leading to Manipur has been disrupted. The people were expecting the state government to address the impasse but to no avail. With the government remaining undecided over Sadar Hills related pandemonium for the last 21 days, the common people are at the receiving end.

The situation gets compounded with the Naga frontal organisations in Manipur responding to the call of the United Naga Council (UNC), have imposed indefinite bandh in “Naga areas” in the state since Sunday. The UNC said its move has been to express the Naga people`s resentment over the “attempts to bifurcate Naga areas in order to create new districts”.

The UNC`s agitation has come even as the indefinite bandh getting underway since the beginning of this month sponsored by Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee (SHDDC) demanding the creation of Sadar Hills district. There have been violent agitations along the National Highway 39 and NH-53 with scores of vehicles and government offices set on fire by the SHDDC volunteers. On Saturday, the Naga body had accused the state government of Manipur for mishandling the present crisis. “Handling of the present crisis and the bias attitude demonstrated by the government of Manipur has been viewed as a deliberate attempt to pit one community against the other,” alleged the UNC.

In the phase of this turn of situation, the Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee (SHDDC) continues to avoid the offensive path. SHDDC has so far, not reacted to the various opposition voices from the Naga organisations against the creation of Sadar Hills by bifurcating Senapati district.

Meanwhile, state chief minister O Ibobi Singh is camping in New Delhi over the Sadar Hills issue but observers feel that the Anna Hazare wave overshadowing every issue in the space of the central leaders at the moment, will not make any headway at this critical juncture of the country.