IT News/Agency
Imphal, July 27:
Assam Rifles Director General Lieutenant General PC Nair has strongly refuted allegations of Assam Rifles siding with one community, asserting that the force has maintained a neutral stance in Manipur since May 3. He dismissed reports suggesting bias as rumors and falsehoods driven by specific agendas. “From the first day, Assam Rifles has maintained a neutral stand. It makes me laugh when I read reports stating that Assam Rifles is favoring one community over another. These are nothing but rumors and falsehoods,” he asserted.
Regarding videos circulating on social media portraying the Manipur crisis, General Nair said many of them are doctored and do not originate from the northeast. “I can tell you that about 30 to 40 videos circulating are not from the northeast. They are from Myanmar and the Rohingya region, doctored by individuals with hidden agendas to incite trouble,” he told ANI. He acknowledged that while some videos do depict incidents in Manipur, they are often partial clips that distort the context. “These partial clippings make the story very different. Unless you see the entire video and complete facts, you will get carried away by what is being shown,” he added.
On the broader security situation in the northeastern region, General Nair highlighted the impact of issues in neighboring countries like Myanmar, including the movement of insurgent groups and contraband. “Ever since the dispensation changed in Myanmar, there has been a huge impact on the northeast in terms of insurgent groups, contraband, and weapons,” he noted.
He also pointed out that the situation in Manipur since last year has had spillover effects on neighboring states. “Whatever happens in Manipur doesn’t get restricted to Manipur. There is a propensity for it to have a spillover effect on neighboring states,” he explained. Overall, he described the security situation as “quite okay,” acknowledging ongoing cases of insurgency and contraband movement.