The government has decided to deploy Central security forces to remove the blockade of the national highways that form the vital supply line to Manipur, setting Friday as the deadline for the Naga groups to end the blockade. “If they don’t withdraw the blockade, we will move a convoy of goods trucks on Friday with tight security,” a government official said on Tuesday.
The home ministry has convened an emergency meeting of the chief secretaries of Manipur and Nagaland on Wednesday to discuss steps to end the crisis which gained momentum after Manipur refused entry to NSCN-IM general secretary T. Muivah on May 3 to visit his ancestral home there.
Home secretary G.K. Pillai will meet the chief secretaries of Manipur and Nagaland to discuss the current situation and steps to be taken to keep open the NH-39 which is the main and direct road link to Manipur and thae economic lifeline of the Northeastern state. “Union home minister P. Chidambaram has already spoken to the chief ministers of Nagaland and Manipur to take necessary steps to have the blockade withdrawn,” an official spokesperson said here. About 1,600 personnel are expected to have reached their destination by now.