Imphal, May 14: From "killer" Ibobi Singh till the other day to "hero" Ibobi Singh now.
Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh has earned vital brownie points by taking a solid stance that NSCN (I-M) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah should not enter Manipur.
Till a couple of months back, Ibobi Singh was the "most hated leader" in Manipur in the wake of the killing of former militant Ch. Sanjit Singh and passer-by Rabina Devi by police commandos here.
The killings that had taken place under controversial circumstances on July 23 last year triggered a protest with citizens' bodies, rights groups and Opposition parties demanding resignation of the chief minister and his council of ministers.
The over six-month long agitation by NGOs branded the chief minister "killer Ibobi". The uproar died down only after the Imphal bench of Gauhati High Court ordered a CBI inquiry into the incident.
However, the Muivah controversy has come as a blessing in disguise for the chief minister.
The Ibobi Singh government and the non-Naga populace in Manipur apparently believe that Muivah's trip was intended to drum up support for his agenda for carving out a greater Nagaland out of Nagaland and the Naga-dominated areas of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
Ibobi Singh demonstrated that he was determined to shut Muivah out of Manipur by deploying a huge strength of Manipur police, police commandos and India Reserve Battalion personnel.
The security forces were under the supervision of inspector-general of police (law and order-III), V. Zathang, senior superintendent of police Imphal West L. Kailun and superintendent of police Bishnupur K. Jayenta Singh at Mao town, bordering Myanmar.
The police crackdown on Muivah's supporters on May 6, the day Muivah had planned to enter Mao on his way to his home district of Ukhrul, resulted in the death of two students and injuries to many others in the border town.
The chief minister's stand found support from one and all, particularly in the valley and communities opposing the outfit's demand for a greater Nagaland.
For once, Ibobi Singh silenced his worst of critics, the Opposition Manipur Peoples Party (MPP).
Apart from political parties, the United Committee Manipur and All Manipur United Clubs Organisation, which are championing the cause of safeguarding territorial integrity of Manipur, too lauded Ibobi Singh for his stand on Muivah's proposed visit to the state.
The MPP, however, criticised the chief minister for failing to restore normal supply of essential commodities, which was choked after a blockade imposed by the All Naga Students Association, Manipur, on the Imphal-Dimapur and Imphal-Jiribam highways from April 11. The indefinite blockade was called in protest against the Manipur government's plan to hold the autonomous district council (ADC) elections in the five hill districts.
Ibobi Singh has a reply for this too. "We are guarding Manipur's boundary, which is more important. We will not exchange our stand with reopening of the lifelines. The government will do whatever it can to restore supply," government spokesperson N. Biren Singh said.
The first phase of the ADC elections for Churachandpur, Sadar Hills and Chandel will be held on May 26. Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Senapati districts will go to the polls on June 2.
Despite stiff opposition from Naga organisations, the Ibobi Singh government has decided to go ahead with the polls because the government smells that the opposition to the ADC polls is part of the greater Nagaland gameplan.
Imphal valley has been witnessing daily sit-ins by women activists in support of the government's decision.
Though shutting out Muivah has provoked the Naga community in both Manipur and Nagaland, Ibobi Singh is sending a message that he will not compromise on Manipur's boundary. And with this message, the Manipur chief minister could win the hearts of the people, who had demanded his resignation a couple of months back.(The Telegraph)
Muivah may not be allowed in M'pur
New Delhi, May 14:
Centre is unlikely to allow NSCN (I-M) general secretary T Muivah to enter Manipur fearing further escalation of tension. Highly placed sources told The Assam Tribune that the issue was extensively discussed at the recent core committee meeting of the Congress party, which was also attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, among others. Sources said it was decided at the meeting not to allow Muivah to go ahead with his visit because it might trigger further tension and ethnic clashes in Manipur. The question does not arise, sources said.
The meeting also discussed Union Home Secretary GK Pillai's report and came to the conclusion to focus on restoring the supply lines to Manipur. Pillai had also tried to persuade Muivah to return to Dimapur, when he called on the Naga leader on Wednesday.
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