Guwahati:
If the 69-day Manipur highway blockade from April to June this year was not long enough, the same Naga groups have imposed another 20 day blockade on NH-39 and NH-53.
These highways are the road links to Manipur that the state government has miserably failed to manage.
The Centre though has urged the United Naga Council not to resort to economic blockade of Manipur and participate in the next round of talks.
"This is asserting our position and getting ourselves heard. I would like to point my fingers at the Central Government because they saw the situation in a communal manner.
We have been talking of Naga peace talks but they have always looked at the Meiteis to solve the Naga problem," said Puni Modoli, Former President United Naga Council (UNC).
The blockade was called off on June 18 after the agitating groups met the PM. They announced severing political ties with the Government of Manipur and demanded withdrawal of Section 144 from Naga areas and revoking the Wanted tag on their leaders.
But Manipur has been choked of essential supplies like foodgrain, fuel and even oxygen and medicines.
Even when the blockade was lifted, the drivers union refused to use the NH-39, protesting against extortion by Naga underground groups. And the other highway is prone to landslips. The state has already lost several thousand crores since April and price of virtually every commodity has been steadily rising.
"Economic Blockade should have a limit. They may have their reasons but we are facing lots of problems," said a local resident.
NH-39 is one of the country's most troubled highways, infamous for economic blockades and rampant extortion by underground groups and overground organizations.