Naga Council Threatens Blockade

By Sobhapati Samom

Imphal, Sep 18 : The United Naga Council of Manipur threatened on Friday to turn its off and on agitation on three highways of the state into an “indefinite blockade” from Saturday morning. “As there is no tangible response by the government of India to our prolonged grievances, the UNC is constrained to intensify

its ongoing agitation into indefinite economic blockade,” the organisation said in a statement on Friday. The central and state governments have appealed to UNC to call off the blockade. Manipur Chief Secretary D.S. Poonia had said the blockade was uncalled for since the governments “are always open to a dialogue…”

The step is a resumption of the Naga unrest that started on  April 11, when the All-Naga Students Association, Manipur launched its highway agitation, which ended on June 18.