Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday clarified that the information published in the media regarding the appointment of Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma as interlocutor for the ongoing Manipur crisis is unfounded and mere speculation.
He made the clarification on the floor of the Manipur Legislative Assembly during the evening session of the 6th session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly on Monday.
CM Biren, who is also the leader of the House, explained that during his participation in a NITI Aayog meeting held in New Delhi on July 28, he met with all the chief ministers of different states across the country.
During the meeting, he had a conversation with almost all the chief ministers of the Northeast, including the CM of Mizoram Lalduhoma, the CM of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio, the CM of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma and others.]
They conversed as friends, and Neiphiu Rio even asked him why he did not attend the recently held Hornbill Festival of Nagaland.
Continuing his clarification, CM Biren said that since Lalduhoma is the new CM of Mizoram, he simply invited him to visit Manipur and nothing more.
However, some social media handles and media outlets speculated and published wrong information, the CM said.
If Lalduhoma were to be appointed as the interlocutor for the Manipur violence, it would have to be done at the level of the union Home minister or the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the CM said.
He cautioned against publishing any report without verification at this present juncture, as it could mislead people.
As quoted in national media, the Chief Minister of Mizoram, Lalduhoma, revealed that last Thursday, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh had recently asked him to mediate in talks with organizations representing the Kuki-Zo communities.
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