Now Reading: Manipur govt reopens national highways for all communities
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Manipur govt reopens national highways for all communities
The Manipur government on Saturday announced the immediate reopening of national highways for all communities and the resumption of bus services between Imphal and Kohima, more than a year after ethnic blockades…
The Story in Brief
The Manipur government on Saturday announced the immediate reopening of national highways for all communities and the resumption of bus services between Imphal and Kohima, more than a year after ethnic blockades choked key routes. The Kuki-Zo Council opposed the reopening of NH-2 without an agreement with Meitei groups, while the Tangkhul Naga Long welcomed the move but urged an end to what it called the 'militarisation' of Naga areas. The announcement came a day before a threatened total shutdown by civil society groups demanding an NRC update.
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh said vested interests were trying to create confusion and stressed the need for all communities to identify as Manipuri first. Kuki groups had blocked NH-2 since May 2023, while Naga organisations countered with blockades on the same highway after the killing of six Naga hostages in February.
The Indian Opinion
The reopening of highways is welcome, but the state cannot pretend blockades were one-sided. Kuki and Naga groups have each enforced their own restrictions, and the Kuki-Zo Council’s demand for an agreement before reopening NH-2 shows the resentment runs deep. The claim that some 'vested interests' cause confusion glosses over real territorial disputes, including demands for a separate Kuki administration that Nagas reject outright. The real test is whether buses will actually run through Kangpokpi and Senapati without being stopped by armed groups.
Source: nationalheraldindia.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
