Guwahati: Chief Minister N. Biren Singh maintained that the State Government takes a strong position to protect the State’s unity and integrity.
Any force attempting to undermine the unity and integrity of the State will not be allowed by the Government to obtain even a single inch of land.
The Chief Minister briefed the media at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat this evening.
N. Biren followed by pledging that his administration would never act in a way that would be detrimental to the interests of the populace and urging them to support its efforts to bring about a return to normalcy in the State.
The Chief Minister expressed sorrow over the tragic event that occurred in Khamenlok and vehemently condemned both the burning of homes and the murder of persons. He said that in order to find the criminals, search and combing operations had been carried out at various locations, including Kurangpat and Yaingangpokpi, by a team made up of paramilitary forces and Manipur Police. He also promised that those responsible for the terrible crime will face harsh punishment. He insisted that search efforts had been carried out in 39 nearby valley locations and 41 nearby hillside villages.
N. Biren underlined that the parties in conflict are individuals who entered the country illegally and the government. He claimed that some special interest organisations are attempting to depict it as conflicts between two communities in order to build a barrier between them. He pleaded with the citizens of both communities to lend assistance in reestablishing the mutual trust and faith.
The Chief Minister also urged the public to avoid believing rumours and unconfirmed information that could fuel tensions between various communities, noting that some special interest organisations are stoking misinformation to do just that. Additionally, he urged the populace not to obstruct the movement of security personnel because this prevents prompt reinforcement in critical locations, noting that the security personnel have been stationed there to safeguard public safety.
He also bemoaned the difficulty in deploying security troops in the vulnerable foothill areas, as these have been employed to contain unwelcome situations in valley areas, due to the high levels of tension in some valley districts.
He further advised the public to refrain from buying and selling land that belonged to the displaced people, saying that the two towns’ residents will soon regain trust in one another. He stated that anybody who engage in such actions will face strict punishment.