"Who is in-charge of Unified Command?"

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jan 21: The Imagi Meira has urged Chief Minister N Biren Singh to clear the air and clarify who is heading the Unified Com-mand, the authority which is responsible for security forces' overall operations in strife-torn Manipur.
There is ambiguity regarding the Unified Com- mand. People want to know who is actually  running it, said, Imagi Meira convenor Th Sujata told reporters at Manipur Press Club, Imphal today.
Sujata accused both Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh of creating the ambiguity.
The "drama" they are playing has caused confusion among the people. The Chief Minister should remove this confusion from the minds of the people, she said.
When Imagi Meira members met with Kuldiep Singh on January 11, he said he was appointed as the Security Advisor to the State Government by the Centre and has no authority with respect to the Unified Command, Sujata said.
"Kuldiep Singh told us that every meeting of the Unified Command is chaired by the Chief Minister and in his absence, his permission is required to convene the meeting. Kuldiep said the Unified Command was not in his hands," Sujata said.
When inquired and studied, it was later known that the July 3 meeting of the Unified Command was chaired by Chief Minister N Biren Singh. This has raised serious questions and concerns on who has been responsible for the crisis that has dragged on for more than eight months, she said.
"The violence and attacks by Kuki militants on civilians have killed many and a number of women have been made widows. How many more should die before the Government acts? When 10 Kuki MLAs have taken a resolute stand, the remaining 50 MLAs have failed to even unite," Sujata said.
Sujata further criticised the State Government for being weak and not standing up for the State.
Non-BJP Governments of other States can and have stood up for themselves to the Centre. There is also a BJP Government in the Centre, but the double engine BJP Government here has failed. It is unable to take a resolute stand when the Centre has ignored it and its people have been slaughtered and driven away from their homes, she said.
"The lives of our young sons and daughters are precious. We do not want to sacrifice their lives. If the Government is waiting for more people to be killed before it acts, then we mothers are willing to lay down our lives and let them kill us. It is not the time for the Chief Minister to play 'resignation drama'. He should immediately clarify and inform who is running the Unified Command," Sujata said.