The Tangkhul Naga Arc Longphang (Southern Tangkhul Naga Union Manipur) has suggested that Naga legislators and CSOs should initiate talks with Meitei legislators like they held talks with 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs to help bring back normalcy in Manipur.
Chairman of the Naga body, Shomi Angkang, was addressing the media on Sunday at its office located at Tangkhul Avenue, Imphal East opposite ISBT.
He said considering the present crisis that has been continuing over nine months, Naga MLAs have initiated a talk with Kuki-Zo MLAs recently at Guwahati, Assam. It is a good step for the Naga legislators and similar talks should also be continued with the Meitei legislators as people from all the sections of Manipur are suffering, he added.
Shomi said the tribal affairs and hills department has been a major department for the people residing in the hill districts of Manipur. However, due to the crisis, the tribal affairs minister has not been able to work as usual.
For the last two years, TA minister has been defunct and hence, no government developmental schemes are able to get by the people residing in the hill districts. The state government should take necessary steps by inducting another MLA stationed in Imphal so that people residing in hills can get government schemes, scholarships for students and others, he added.
He urged the state government to expedite the process for autonomous district council (ADC) election along with Lok Sabha election, 2024 at the earliest.
Regarding the pending border fencing work, the Naga body demanded to complete the pending work for undisputed areas and to solve the issues for disputed areas which are from new border pillar number 90 to 129.
Secretary of the Naga body, Shimrei Phang Ningshen said that, after considering the welfare of the people residing in hill district, CM Biren should take necessary steps by inducting a new Tribal Affairs minister.
