Ceasefire doesn’t cover Manipur : Biren

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Feb 22: Chief Minister N Biren has categorically asserted on the floor of the State Assembly that the ceasefire pact signed between the Government of India and NSCN (IM) does not cover Manipur.
Replying to a query raised by MLA Alfred Kanngam Arthur today, the Chief Minister remarked that the Indo-Naga peace talk is a very complicated, decades old issue and it has been vexing the masses.
It is a natural phenomenon that Governments come and go but all the Governments have been working to bring a peaceful and amicable solution to the protracted peace talks, Biren said.
Insertion of the phrase ‘without territorial limits’ in the ceasefire pact literally put Manipur on fire and it led to loss of 18 lives in June 2001 apart from destruction of many Government properties apart from paralysing Imphal for days, he recalled.
Following the massive civil protest movement, the controversial phrase was removed from the ceasefire pact and now things have changed a lot as evidenced by the dialogues held between civil society organisations, Biren said.
As the civil society organisations and the public can now sit together, the Government would soon elicit opinions of all CSOs and the public, and work towards bringing an amicable solution to the peace talks, he said.
Mutual respect and co-existence are the common desires of the people of Manipur, asserted the Chief Minister.
Responding to a query raised by K Ranjit, N Biren said that cinema halls in the State found themselves on a path of decadence since 2000 following some unwanted incidents.
Talking about the Government initiatives aimed at regenerating cinema halls, Biren stated that the Manipur State Cine Policy 2020 had been already enacted.
Even though cinema halls have not been issued permanent licences, Deputy Commissioners have been issuing temporary licences which enable them to screen local films.
At the same time, following emergence of many talented film makers and actors, the State has won many awards in the field of cinema at international level.
Coupled with the enactment of the cine policy, the Government has been minutely examining the memoranda submitted by four different bodies working in the field of cinema.
The Chief Minister assured that all efforts would be invested to translate the points highlighted through the memoranda into action by March.
Replying to a query raised by AK Mirabai, CAF&PD Minister Th Satyabrata said that LPG consumers are still given subsidy on every refill.