Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand met representatives from various localities on April 26 and briefed the media on the government's peace efforts. Home Minister Govindas said the Tronglaobi case has been handed to the NIA and clarified that the SoO cannot be abrogated unilaterally by the state
IMPHAL – Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh met representatives from various localities on Saturday, April 26, in a bid to ease the prevailing situation in the state. Briefing media persons at the Chief Minister's Secretariat following the series of meetings, the CM said there is no alternative to peace except through dialogue and collective engagement at the negotiating table. He expressed concern that the ongoing unrest has caused significant hardship to daily wage earners and has disrupted the academic environment for children across the state.
The Chief Minister stated that the government alone cannot restore peace unless the public and civil society organisations actively support the effort. He reiterated his appeal to all stakeholders to come forward for dialogue and work collectively toward resolving the prevailing issues. The press conference was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister Losi Dikho, the Tourism Minister, MLAs, and other officials.
The Chief Minister announced that the cabinet has decided to absorb the parents of the children killed in the Tronglaobi incident into state government service. He was categorical that the decision was taken purely on humanitarian grounds and was not made in response to any demands from the Joint Action Committee or the victim families. The CM also stressed that the government will continue its efforts to ensure that those responsible for the Tronglaobi attack are arrested at the earliest.
Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam stated that the government has so far tolerated all democratic and non-violent demonstrations, and noted that the CM had also met different groups of representatives who visited the Secretariat following the day's public rallies. He informed that some individuals identifying themselves as COCOMI members had submitted a memorandum containing seven questions to the government. He noted that an earlier invitation extended to COCOMI for dialogue had been declined by the organisation.
Responding to the memorandum, the Home Minister affirmed that safeguarding all indigenous communities remains a firm commitment of the state government. He stated that the government will not tolerate any form of terrorism, including narco-terrorism and illegal possession of arms and ammunition. He also referenced the Government of India's target to end all forms of terrorism in the Northeast by 2029. On the Tronglaobi incident specifically, Govindas stated that the case has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and a team led by an Inspector General has already visited the site.
On the question of internally displaced persons (IDPs), the Home Minister stated that arrangements have been made for IDPs to return to their homes, but that the process has been delayed due to the prevailing situation and a trust deficit between communities. He noted that the Chief Minister has been personally visiting relief camps of displaced persons from both communities. On the demand for abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, Govindas clarified that the state government cannot take such a decision unilaterally, as the SoO is a tripartite agreement involving the Ministry of Home Affairs and therefore falls outside the state's sole purview.
