World Meitei Council Writes to PM on Opening National Highways in Manipur

Ukhrul, Mar 14: The World Meitei Council has written to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggesting practical solutions for opening the national highways in Manipur.

The World Meitei Council stated that the citizens of Manipur were disappointed with the unprofessional manner in which the State Governor, who is at the helm of affairs in Manipur, was attempting to open a stretch of approximately 20 kilometers of the National Highways in the state, alleging a lack of effective leadership and action.

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The council recommended identifying problematic villages along the troublesome stretch of the highways, which were about 10 villages, including Motbung, Sapermeina, Kangpokpi, and others, that need to be monitored closely.

Another suggestion was deployment of an effective Police Force tasked with taking pre-emptive actions, under the supervision of the District Deputy Commissioner (DC), including invoking Section 144 where necessary. “This is not a complex task but a practical approach to maintaining law and order,” it asserted.

Further, the World Meitei Council urged for making the District DC and Superintendent of Police (SP) directly accountable for ensuring the safety and security of the highways. It also recommended immediate dismissal from their positions if they fail to discharge their responsibilities effectively.

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Moreover, the council stated that if the authorities at the state level failed to fulfil their duties to ensure the smooth functioning of the National Highways, it would be better to dismiss the Governor and appoint someone who can handle the situation competently.

“The fact that a few individuals are allowed to disrupt the National Highways and cause inconvenience to over 1.4 billion Indians is deeply troubling,” it stated, attaching videos of some marauders blocking the highways for reference. Besides, it questioned how a few marauders were allowed to challenge the authority of the Government of India, which the Governor represented, noting the situation as shameful.

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