IMPHAL, Aug 1 � The United Naga Council (UNC) Manipur, a Naga frontal organisation, has announced resumption of the economic blockade on Manipur for 20 days beginning August 4.
UNC�s blockade resumption notice came hours after AE Ahmed, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)-led 14 member Central team left for New Delhi after conducting an on-the-spot inspection of the shortage of essential commodities in the backdrop of the blockade in the State.
Joint Secretary (MHA, NE in-charge) Naveen Verma, DoNER Joint Secretary Dr JP Sharma, CMD of Food Corporation of India Siraj Hussain, Joint Secretary of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Dr RS Shukla, FCI Executive Director Dr Amar Singh, Joint Secretary of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas Apurbachandra, Director of the PMO Darbindra Sandhu and top officers of Railway Ministry were in the Central team.
In a press statement, UNC�s general secretary A Ashohrii said, �The UNC is compelled to resume the temporarily suspended economic blockade� as the five-day ultimatum submitted on July 27 to the Prime Minister has evoked no response till date�.
It said the ultimatum had been served following �the declaration of the severance of all political ties with the Government of Manipur� during a convention on July 1 last.
The UNC has been demanding a judicial enquiry into the May 6 firing at Mao Gate (Manipur-Nagaland border) that killed two Naga students and injured many protesters.
Demanding immediate withdrawal of Section 144 and demilitarisation of Naga areas and removal of �wanted� tag and fixing rewards on Naga leaders, it wanted dissolution of the �undemocratically instituted autonomous district councils (ADCs)�.
Protesting the holding of ADC polls in Manipur�s five hill districts, the UNC and the All Naga Students Association of Manipur had from April 11 imposed a 69-day economic blockade on National Highways 39 and 53 that connect Manipur with the rest of the country forcing the State�s 2.5 million population to face untold misery due to unavailability of essential commodities.
