Territorial boundary of Manipur in 1949 should be protected : MP

New Delhi, Mar 4 (UNI) Dr Thokchom Meinya, MP from Manipur has urged the Government to protect the territorial boundary of Manipur.

Dr Meinya told the Lok Sabha yesterday that the State's boundary at the time of its merger with the Indian Union in 1949 should be maintained.

The matter was raised under Rule 377 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha.

Referring to the peace talks of NSCN (IM) and the Centre, Dr Meinya said, ''Since 1997, the Government of India and NSCN (IM) are on ceasefire and peace talks has been on for more than 10 years.

So far Parliament and its members are kept in the dark about the progress of the talks. Only when something is reported in the media, we come to know about it.'' He said when the ceasefire was extended without territorial limits' in Manipur in 2001, more than five lakh people came out on the streets leading to large-scale violence in which eighteen innocent people, including one woman lost, their lives and the State Assembly and many Government offices were burnt down.

''Of late, there appears to be a demand for implementation of the Sixteen-Point Agreement, 1960 in letter and spirit, which includes the Consolidation of Contiguous Naga Areas,'' he said.

Manipur was a Princely State in 1949 when the State merged with the Union of India. At that point of time, the State had a clear-cut geographical territorial boundary.

''We have a genuine fear that any attempt to disturb the territorial integrity of Manipur would certainly lead to serious undesirable consequences, resulting in large scale violence and bloodshed,'' he said.

Observing the gravity of the situation, Dr Meinya reiterated that the sincere wish of the people was to preserve, maintain and respect the territory of Manipur as it was at the time of merger.

UNI BKS Mir KP1632