Imphal: The United Naga Council (UNC), the apex Naga body in Manipur, has announced a 48-hour total shutdown across Naga-inhabited areas in the state starting from midnight on October 3, 2024.
The decision was taken in the backdrop of the arbitrary creation of seven new districts by the then Congress regime on December 8, 2016, without the consent of the Naga people.
In a statement, the UNC said the decision was taken after repeated appeals to address the issue were ignored. The group has long demanded the rollback of these districts, citing violations of four existing Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the Naga people and the government of Manipur, assurances from the Government of India, and multiple rounds of tripartite talks between stakeholders.
The UNC accused the state government of creating the districts arbitrarily by bifurcating parent districts, disregarding previous agreements and assurances. This led to widespread protests, including a 139-day economic blockade and ten rounds of tripartite talks. The last round of talks took place on March 9, 2019, with an assurance that a concrete proposal would be presented in the next meeting, which was expected to occur in July 2019 but never materialised.
Reiterating its opposition to the 2016 district creation, the UNC stated that it rejects any subsequent decisions or rulings related to the matter. “The Naga people believe in dialogue and have repeatedly appealed for a peaceful resolution, but there has been no concrete response,” the statement said.
The 48-hour shutdown aims to express the Naga people’s discontent and demand the immediate rollback of the newly created districts. However, essential services, media, and emergency cases will be exempted from the bandh, with the UNC urging cooperation from the Naga population.
Also Read | Exploring every way for safe return of missing youths: CM Biren Singh