No harm to Manipur by Framework Agreement: Kiren Rijiju

Imphal, Jan 16: Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, on the sideline of a special event organised by the Indian High Commission in London where he addressed members of the diaspora from the UK on the 13th of this month, assured the Manipuri Diaspora of UK that the much discussed and speculated Framework Agreement will not harm the interest of Manipur in any manner. The Minister of State for Home, without going into details of the most secretive arrangement being drawn up between the Government of India and the NSCM (IM), presented an air of relaxed confidence while interacting with the members. Answering to further queries by Thoiba and friends, the Minister of State for Home also disclosed that the relaxation made on ‘Protected Area Regime’ (PAP) under Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958 for the states of Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland with effect from December 13, 2017 till December 31, 2022 will be maintained. Addressing concerns raised about the widening gap between development in Manipur and the rest of India, he spoke about many reasons to be optimistic for our future. Rijiju also informed the gathering that the Moreh route would be open at the earliest after certain necessary formalities are completed to ensure greater connectivity and open up more opportunity for the country and especially for the people of the state. He also told crowd that he was surprised that not many has heard about Manipur, a place that is so rich and culturally advanced where it is also the powerhouse of sports, citing the example that 60% of the Indian football team are from Manipur. Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu and Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju have been on a UK visit to hold bilateral dialogues with their counterparts.