Centre Decides to Send Forces to Clear Manipur Blockade

Adopting a tough position, the central government has decided to send security forces to clear the 65-day old blockade by Naga groups of the two national highways due to which a severe shortage of commodities has been created in Manipur, said media reports.

“We have decided to send Central forces to remove the blockade,” Home Secretary GK Pillai was quoted as saying.

Since April 11, different Naga groups have blocked National Highways 39 (Imphal-Dimapur) and 53 (Imphal-Silchar), passing through Nagaland and connecting Manipur, to protest Manipur government’s refusal to allow NSCN leaders T Muivah’s entry into Manipur to visit his ancestral home.

Pillai said that the chief secretaries of Nagaland and Manipur would hold a meeting on Wednesday to examine the situation, reports said.

Due to the blockade, Manipur has come on the verge of a breakdown with stocks of all essentials commodities, including baby food and life saving drugs, nearly coming to an end, said reports.

The All Naga Students’ Association (ANSAM) had launched the blockade to protest holding of elections to six autonomous district councils in the Hills which, it alleged, were given not enough power to carry out development works, reports said.

(Based on internet reports)