Imphal: Manipur-based United Naga Council (UNC) has called for a 48-hour bandh from midnight of October 3 to oppose the arbitrary formation of seven new districts in Naga-dominated areas in the state.
The UNC, the apex Naga body, has been demanding the rollback of the decision on the “arbitrary creation” of seven new districts in December 2016.
“The Naga people believe in dialogue and have therefore repeatedly appealed to the authority concerned to redress our grievances through talks,” UNC said in a statement.
“As there has been no response to our demands, we have decided to call a 48-hour shutdown,” the UNC stated.
The UNC on September 11 issued an ultimatum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for redressal of the pending issue of “arbitrary creation” of seven new districts in Manipur in 2016.
The Council also warned of intense agitation if the matter was not resolved within 15 days.
The UNC claimed that the seven new districts were created arbitrarily by bifurcating parent districts on December 8, 2016, during the Congress regime without any information, consent or knowledge of the stakeholders.
“The last talks with the governments were held on March 9, 2019, with the assurance that a concrete proposal will be placed by the Manipur government in the next round of talks, supposedly proposed to be held by the last week of July 2019,” the UNC statement said.
The UNC said that a missive was to the office of the Special Secretary, Northeast, Ministry of Home Affairs, for resumption of the tripartite talks on January 22, 2024, and a prompt reminder was also sent on February 23. The Council stated that it is yet to receive a response.
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The Naga people primarily reside in six districts of Manipur namely Tamenglong, Chandel, Ukhrul, Kamjong, Noney, and Senapati. These districts are located along the borders of Nagaland and Myanmar.
