DIMAPUR, MAY 9 (MExN): Nagaland State Chief Minister, Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu today met his Manipur counterpart N Biren Singh in Imphal and talked about the “beginning of a new era for the two neighbouring States as well as the different communities in the region.”
Dr Shurhozelie landed by chopper at the historic Kangla Fort, where his counterpart and several other legislators accompanied by thousands of NPF and BJP party functionaries gave a reception to the visiting dignitaries and were led to the Chief Minister’s Residential Office adjacent to the Fort.
“We are all aware that there were several crises in our two States, but with the change of guards here at Manipur, people have begun to see a ray of hope and a new dawn of peace is being heralded between the two States and the different communities in the region,” Dr Shurhozelie said to the media, which he jointly addressed with his counterpart.
A press note from the Nagaland CMO informed that the Nagaland CM lamented how that in the past certain leaders had manipulated and made use of the circumstances for their “own selfish ends” but that with the new dispensation taking over the reins of the State “a new era has dawned and we should all take it as our personal victory.”
“My party’s four MLAs are part of the alliance here and they will continue to remain in the alliance till the last,” he declared. He went on to say that people of the region are of different ethnic groups and these groups should “learn to live together in peace and harmony as they have done for ages since we shall continue to be neighbour for ages to come.”
He meanwhile called upon the Meitei people to “play the role of the big brother to other communities in the region” and asked that the many learned scholars and intelligentsia from the Meitei Community “should come forward and create a conducive environment for return of peace and harmony in the State and region.” He went on to urge the people to ensure that it becomes the responsibility of each and everyone that this peace of mind is never disturbed again.
To the media, Dr Shurhozelie stated: “Let us interact more often and ensure that our relationship is built on solid foundation. We must realise that development can come only if we have peace, and to have peace we need to have goodwill among all sections of the society.”
Prior to the press conference, the Manipur CM presented paintings to Dr. Shurhozelie, and the Nagaland CM reciprocated by presenting the former with a traditional gong.
Later in the day, addressing party functionaries in an informal gathering, DAN Chairman and former Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang said that for the first time in decades, Manipur is fortunate to a have a Chief Minister who is eager to reach out to the hills people and urged party men and women to extend full cooperation to the good gesture so as to ensure all-round development of the hill districts.
“It must be through divine intervention that we have a friendly Governments and Chief Ministers in our immediate neighbors Assam and Manipur this time and so we must take full advantage of the situation,” Zeliang said and went on to mention about the strategic location of the three states with regards to the Government of India’s Act East Policy. He asked people of the region to “cooperate and reap the benefits of trade and commerce with the South East Asian nations in the years to come.”
Parliamentary Secretary Manipur Awangbow Newmai, who is also the President of the NPF Manipur State Unit, said that in the past, Nagas and hills people were considered as “the worst enemies of the Valley people of the State, but with our support, the Government has been formed and we will prove that we can be and we shall be the best of friends of the Valley people.”
The Nagaland CM was accompanied by Chairman of DAN & Advisor (Finance) TR Zeliang, Nagaland Minister in charge of NPF Manipur State Unit Yitachu and NPF Central Vice President and in charge of NPF MSU Zaku Tsukhru.
