IMPHAL\/NEW DELHI, Nov 17 (NNN): The government of India is very much interested to start the dialogue with the Kuki militant organisations at the earliest date and the ground work for the talks will begin soon. Officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs will come to Manipur to work out the modalities for the talks with the Kuki militant organisations within a short period.
\nDeputy chief minister Gaikhangam said immediately after the forthcoming Parliament Session the government of India will start the ground works for holding the talks with the two umbrella organisations of the Kuki militants, viz, the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People\u2019s Front (UPF).
\nGaikhangam said this after having had met Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde at around 5 pm today in New Delhi and apprised him about the development in Manipur pertaining to KNO, UPF and Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC).
\n\u201cThe honourable Union home minister (Sushil Kumar Shinde) was forward and keen in starting the dialogue with the Kuki militants at the earliest date,\u201d said the deputy chief minister of Manipur. When asked if any formal missive has been given to the Kuki organisations by the government of India, Gaikhangam however said, \u201cSince the Parliament Session begins from November 22, everybody is busy at the moment and I think it is going to be only after the Parliament Session gets over.\u201d The deputy chief minister then said, \u201cThe KNO, UPF and others don\u2019t have to worry. Surely, the dialogue will start at the earliest possible date. First, the ground works\u2014to chalk out modalities for which officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs will be landing soon in Imphal.\u201d He then appeals the Kuki organisations not to go ahead with the blockade in the interest public.
\nMeanwhile, Kuki State Demand Committe (KSDC) secretary Benjamin Mate and its information secretary George Guite informed Newmai News Network that the Committee has gone ahead with the \u2018public blockade\u2019 since 5 pm today. \u201cIf need be total bandh will be imposed soon,\u201d warns George Guite.
\nThe indefinite \u201cpublic blockade\u201d in all the highways passing through \u201cKuki areas\u201d in Manipur was announced on November 12 by the Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) in demand \u2018for a separate Kuki state to be carved out of \u2018Kuki traditional lands\u2019 incorporated within the present day Manipur.
\nMeanwhile, KSDC information secretary George Guite said that volunteers of the Committee are now stationed in all the \u201cjunctions\u201d in Kuki areas imposing the public blockade. \u201cWe will intensify the agitation by clamping curfew\u00a0or imposing total bandh,\u201d stated George Guite.
\nFollowing the blockade, all the transports have come to a grinding halt since late this afternoon. The vehicular moments in both the national highways leading to Manipur have stopped, so are those in all the state highways.<\/p>\n\n