BJP demands President's Rule in blockade-hit Manipur

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader M M Joshi on Saturday demanded the imposition of President's Rule in Manipur, which has been reeling under an economic blockade.

"The central government has remained very insensitive to the plight of the suffering people and left it to the state government to resolve the crisis. The Centre should impose President's Rule, if needed, to ease the crisis in the state," Joshi said.

He said, "I have been told that people have been reeling under a shortage of essential items, medicines and other requirement of daily life. Fuels are either scarce or available at a high premium. The state government has expressed its helplessness in resolving this issue," he said.

The Sadar Hills District Demand Committee had imposed a blockade on the NH 39 and NH 53 from August 1 to demand a separate district for Kuki-tribe dominated Sadar Hills by carving it out of Naga tribe-majority Senapati district.

The United Naga Council, which is opposed to the demand for a separate revenue district for Sadar hills areas, imposed a counter-blockade along the same highway on August 21.

Though the SHDDC waived the blockade in October after the government assured them that it will look into their demand, the UNC is yet to respond to the Manipur government's call to lift the blockade to provide relief to the suffering masses.

Though Manipur Chief Minister Ibobi Singh had warned the protestors that force might be used  to clear the blockade-hit highways, nothing has been done so far.

With the next assembly elections round the corner, the government seems helpless in resolving the crisis because of various political considerations.