Somewhere in the North East....

Manipur chief minister Ibobi Singh’s strong protest lodged with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Congress leadership against the Centre’s attempt to facilitate Naga separatist leader T Muivah’s visit to the state seems to have fallen on receptive ears. The chief minister’s plea that Congress was in a politically strong position and Muivah’s proposed visit to his native village of Somdal in Manipur would create problems are seen to have some merit. Ibobi Singh’s success in consolidating his position as undisputed leader as compared to the flux before he became CM has also helped his cause. The political uncertainty before his tenure as CM was seen to have been exploited by Muivah for the Nagalim cause. Now that Ibobi Singh is in control of things, he does not want Muivah to play a disruptive role and the CM appears to have successfully stalled the home ministry’s initiative to bring the NSCN (I-M) leader to Manipur. While the home ministry on Saturday expressed its “disappointment” over BJP’s criticism of the Muivah initiative, it is clear the doubts are shared within Congress as well. The move to inject Muivah into Manipur has boomeranged and with Singh sticking to his guns, the resultant blockade organised by Naga groups protesting the CM’s action has created a serious headache for the Centre. It is felt that Muivah need not have been accomodated to such an extent without keeping Singh’s sensitivities in mind. Though talks with NSCN are crawling, the separatist outfit’s influence has been waning. In Nagaland too, Neiphiu Rio of the Nagaland People’s Front, is a second term CM. But as he could not but criticise Manipur for not allowing Muivah’s visit, it has created avoidable friction. The home ministry has said Muivah had been told that his visit could be facilitated in consultation with the Manipur government. The statement notes Singh’s objections and his visit to Delhi to meet home minister P Chidambaram, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and defence minister A K Antony. “After his return to Imphal, the CM reiterated his stand that visit of Muivah could not be allowed at this stage,” the statement added.