Ibobi: Bandhs no way out, will use force if need be

With a 72-hour bandh called by the United Naga Council set to end on Sunday midnight and another bandh by the Jiribam District Committee beginning from November 10, Chief Minister Ibobi Singh has said “if they continue with the bandhs and blockades, we don’t have an alternative but to take stern action”.

“The present stock of fuel is not good but we are trying to improve. A bridge between Jiribam and Silchar has broken, aggravating the situation and affecting supplies. But I have spoken to the Assam Chief Minister and he has assured me that they are already in the process of restoring the road connectivity,’’ Singh told mediapersons after attending a Wangoi block-level meeting of the Congress on Sunday.

“If they continue with the bandhs and blockades, we don’t have an alternative but to take stern action. We have to keep at least one highway open. Otherwise where is our survival? If necessary, we will use force. The Jiribam District Committee has also demanded a separate district and announced an economic blockade from November 10. I have already appealed to them not to keep calling these blockades and bandhs,” he said. “Yes, everybody has a right to express their demands, but this is no way to do it. Nowhere else in the country does it happen like this.”

Claiming “our tolerance for these endless blockades is fast receding’’, the CM said, “Our first priority is to convince ( the protesters) through negotiations and to keep at least one national highway clear. If these negotiations are not successful then we may have to appeal to the Supreme Court to intervene.”

Earlier in the day, the government spokesperson said the state would run out of its stock of fuel within the next two days. “Our fuel stocks are very low, and we are likely to run out of fuel in the next two days. However, we have requested Assam, and they have agreed to open a diversion road to Manipur by which trucks and other goods vehicles will start running from tomorrow,” government spokesperson and Cabinet Minister N Biren told The Indian Express. “Fortunately, tomorrow is Eid. So it is a state holiday, and we expect the fuel consumption to be minimal.’’

A 92-day blockade called by the Kuki-dominated Sadar Hills District Demand Committee had ended recently on the eve of a visit by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram.