Neither the Centre nor the banned UNLF have sent peace proposals yet
By Ratnadip Choudhury
Guwahati, Mar 11 : The Chairman of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) Rajkumar Meghen alias Saniyama, who is now in judicial custody, has said the UNLF has not received a proposal from New Delhi on talks.
Earlier this week, there were media reports that Union Home Secretary GK Pillai has said the UNLF is coming forward for a dialogue with the Centre.
“I want to make one thing clear, we have received no proposal from the Centre for talks. We have not sent a proposal either. Our stand remains the same and we are with the people of Manipur and their wishes,” Meghen told TEHELKA outside the National Investigative Agency (NIA) Special Court in Guwahati.
The National Investigation Agency has filed a chargesheet against 19 members of the banned UNLF. The chargesheet is related to their involvement in waging war against the country, raising funds by resorting to large scale extortion from the government and private bodies in Manipur, and for trying to procure arms and ammunition from foreign countries in FIR no 10/10 under sections 120(B), read with sections 121, 121(A), 122 of the IPC,16, 17, 18,18A, 18B and 20 of UA(P) Act,1967, as amended in 2008 .
Meghen was shown arrested by NIA from Motihari in Bihar on 30 November 2010. TEHELKA reported how Meghen was actually picked up by Indian Intelligence sleuths inside Bangladesh and later handed over to India. His whereabouts were not known for a long time, until the TEHELKA story pointed out he was in NIA custody.
Meanwhile, people from the Manipuri community staged a protest in front of the NIA Special Court asking for the transfer of Meghen’s case to Manipur. Strong sentiments are brewing in Manipur as people feel that the Centre is showing double standards.
They said on the one hand, United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa agrees to speak on Indian terms, so he is let off from jail and received with honour, while Meghen is in jail and is proceeded against because he won’t speak on Indian terms.
“The Centre is biased. We support Meghen. If he is held captive under the Constitution, then we want plebiscite in Manipur. The Centre should have the courage for this,” said Binoy Singh, one of the protestors.
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