The economic blockade imposed in Manipur by the United Naga Council will be lifted starting midnight on Sunday, ANI reported. The decision was taken at a meeting of members from the council, the Centre and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Manipur government.
The council had imposed the indefinite blockade in November 2016 as a form of protest against the Okram Ibobi Singh-led Congress government in the state. It had instead declared its support for the Naga People’s Front, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has just formed the government in the state. Nongthombam Biren Singh (pictured above) was sworn in as the BJP’s first chief minister in Manipur on March 15. The BJP had won 21 seats against the Congress’ 21, but managed to get the support of three regional parties.
The UNC, the apex body of Naga tribal groups in the state, had imposed the blockade to protest against the government’s decision to upgrade the Sadar Hills and Jiribam areas to create seven full-fledged districts. The blockade on National Highways 2 and 37 had hit the supply of essential goods in the state.
On December 12, the Home Ministry had said in a statement that no one would be allowed to take the law in to their own hands. On January 31, it had sought the Election Commission’s intervention to resolve the crisis. About a month later, Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh had dismissed a ministry report that had said that the law-and-order situation in his state was “not conducive” to conduct Assembly elections.
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