Imphal: Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh stated that the government’s move to hold talks with the Kuki Zo Council is the first step toward removing the trust deficit between the two communities in the state.
“It is also a step toward bridging the gap and fostering peace,” he said. The Chief Minister was speaking to the media in Imphal on Sunday following his meeting with representatives of the Kuki-Zo Council in Guwahati on Saturday.
He noted that it is a positive development that the Kuki Zo Council is willing to hold talks after almost three years. He was speaking in the context of the closed-door meeting in Guwahati, though he did not elaborate on the details of the discussions.
Yumnam Khemchand clarified that there is no buffer zone in the state. The government, however, has identified certain sensitive areas in light of the prevailing law and order situation in the border state.
Regarding the demand for a separate administration, the Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already announced that Manipur’s territorial integrity will not be compromised. He maintained that he does not need to comment further on an issue that has already been clarified by the Prime Minister.
In response to a question from a reporter on the restricted movement of people on NH-102 (Imphal-Kohima Road), Khemchand said people are already travelling on the highway, but in smaller numbers.
He acknowledged that fear still exists among people due to the trust deficit between the two communities. “This is the reason why I said that removing the trust deficit is my priority,” he added. He also reported an improvement in the law and order situation along the Imphal-Ukhrul Road.
Further, the Chief Minister maintained that the state is inhabited by 36 different communities and that it shall remain intact. “Let us forgive and forget the past for a better future,” he added.
The Chief Minister made the above statement after returning to Imphal while inspecting the Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) at Khuman Lampak.
The briefing was attended by Thangjam ArunKumar Singh, MLA Wangkhei AC; Additional Chief Secretary Anurag Bajpai; Director, Transport Department Khumanthem Diana Devi; Chief Engineer (PWD) Chongtham Biswachandra Singh; and others.