Newmai News Network
Imphal | August 4
Even as the 20-day long economic blockade of the United Naga Council (UNC) begins today from 6 am, the state government of Manipur has taken a decision this afternoon to send a ministerial team to Senapati to negotiate with the agitating Naga organization.
On Wednesday, in a Cabinet meeting held in Imphal, the state government took a decision that a ministerial team comprised of Tribal Development minister D.D. Thaisii, Youth Affairs and Sports minister N Biren, Tourism minister T.N Haokip and others be sent to Senapati in two days time to meet the UNC and All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) leaders.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that during the Cabinet meeting today, two rules of the Autonomous District Council (ADC) Act have been amended. The two rules include Article 23 and Article 25 of the ADC Act.
The previous rule of Article 23 said that the finance committee of the Autonomous District Councils be formed through election among the ADC members. However, in the amended rule, the finance committee members should be nominated by the ADC chairman and should be 7 members.
The UNC has imposed the 20-day blockade since today on the National Highway 39 and NH-53 leading to Manipur demanding from the government to initiate a Judicial Inquiry into the May 6 Mao Gate incident where two students were killed and several injured when state security forces opened fire. The protestors were demanding that NSCN-IM leader Thuingaleng Muivah should be allowed to visit his native village Somdal in Ukhrul district of Manipur but the state government barred the Naga underground leader from going ahead.
The UNC is also demanding that the Autonomous District Councils formed recently should not be allowed to function as it was ‘instituted undemocratically’. There are also other demands.
