After 120 days of economic blockade on the arterial national highways 39 and 53, Manipur on Tuesday heaved a sigh of relief. The agitating United Naga Council lifted the economic blockade from 6 am on Tuesday morning.
Manipur Police has registered a first information report (FIR) accusing the Assam Rifles of blocking their vehicle after an altercation between the two groups last week, while the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to replace Assam Rifles 'by any other paramilitary force permanently' from the state.
On Thursday, he had visited relief camps in Churachandpur, one of the worst affected towns in the ethnic rioting, which has plagued the northeastern state for the last two months.
Tension in the state escalated after militants ambushed Manipur Police and other state forces in the last few days that left three policemen dead and 14 others injured last Thursday.
The United Naga Council on Monday lifted its 100-day economic blockade on the Manipur side of two national highways without any condition but with a caveat that agitation would be re-launched if the government did not make an 'alternative arrangement' for Nagas in the state.
Appealing to the United Naga Council to call off its 74-day economic blockade on two national highways in Manipur, Home Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday said all issues could be sorted out through dialogue.
Ban is the bane of life in the frontier state of Manipur that is plagued by myriad troubles ranging from insurgency, ethnicity to underdevelopment.
Only one petrol pump has stock but it will supply petrol and diesel only to school buses and school vans, official sources said.
The Manipur government's plan to carve out seven new districts in the hill areas has ignited old resentments between Naga and non-Naga ethnic groups, leading to clashes and a month-long economic blockade.
Truckers in Manipur are not willing to hit the troubled NH 39 that connects border town of Moreh and Imphal to Assam valley through Dimapur in Nagaland, even after agitating Naga groups in Manipur the All Naga Students' Association of Manipur and the United Naga Council -- have lifted the 67-days-long blockade of the highway from Friday evening.
Manipur is back in the news. The National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah backed United Naga Council of Manipur has raised a fresh demand for 'creating a separate Union Territory or a separate state within the constitution of India,' in the just concluded tripartite talks held on December 3, in the Senapati district of Manipur.
The United Naga Council decided on Tuesday, to extend its economic blockade, which was to end today after over three weeks, by 25 more days on two vital highways of Manipur, saying its demands have not been met.
The curfew was imposed this noon and covers Porompat and Sawombung subdivisions of Imphal East district, said an order issued by the district magistrate. It will continue till further directions.
Ahead of Sushma Swaraj's visit, Myanmarese soldiers take over Indian territory.
The Centre on Friday reviewed the situation in Manipur in the wake of the crippling economic blockade of a highway, with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju asking the state government to end the "worrisome" conditions that have triggered a "humanitarian crisis".
A Manipur Police commando and two police constables were killed while nine others were injured when militants ambushed road-opening parties at two different places in Chandel district of Manipur on Thursday.
The blockade was imposed by the UNC since November 1, 2016.
The blockade was imposed by the United Naga Council on November 1 to protest against the creation of seven new districts.
The Union home ministry said there was 'substantial progress' on the issues in the talks.
The indefinite economic blockade by United Naga Council since November 1, 2016 in Manipur against the state government's decision for creation of seven new districts has severely hit supply of essential commodities, including fuel.
Officials said the EC has directed them to provide security to Sharmila as 'she travels alone almost all the time'.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at the Congress saying they had made the state their political battle ground, pitting one community against the other.
Around 1.72 crore voters, including 94.60 lakh men and 77.84 lakh women, are eligible to cast their votes in this round to decide the fate of 635 candidates.
Blockade is an issue which has seemingly widened the divide between the hills and the plains.
Sharmila said a section of people even wanted her 'martyrdom' during the 16-year old fast against the AFSPA that she decided to end last year.
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