Newmai News Network
DIMAPUR, February 26
Leaders of the United Naga Council (UNC) have rushed to New Delhi today to have further parleys on the issue of ‘Alternative Arrangement’ for the Nagas of Manipur outside the state government.The UNC leaders had returned to Manipur from Delhi on last Friday after meeting the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) officials on the ‘Alternative Arrangement’ issue. The Naga leaders had held a series of meetings last week with the MHA officials in the national capital following which the Government of India has decided to set up a ‘high level committee’ (HLC) on the matter within this week itself.
Sources from New Delhi informed Newmai News Network this evening that the UNC leaders have arrived in the national capital to hold further meetings with the MHA officials. “Yes, we are here again today as the need for a ‘joint exercise’ with the Ministry of Home Affairs has cropped up,” confided a UNC source.
Meanwhile, speculations within the Naga circle are doing the rounds that this time the Government of India has begun its real spade-work on the ‘Alternative Arrangement’ issue. However, what really is going on in the meetings between the UNC leaders and the Government of India representatives will be known in the next few days’ time.
On February 6 for the first time, the talks on the ‘Alternative Arrangement’ for the Nagas of Manipur was held at a ‘political level’ in Senapati district headquarter involving the Government of India, the Government of Manipur ( represented by Manipur cabinet ministers) and the United Naga Council (UNC).
That day’s development was significant because the previous six rounds were mere meeteings of UNC leaders with the bureaucrats for which reason the Naga body had fumed.
