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Senior Samata Party politician George Fernandes said on Thursday that the recent trouble in the Northeast over the extension of the ceasefire between the Centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) was not unexpected.
"For those who know the Northeast, it was obvious that any announcement of this nature would lead to a backlash," the former defence minister said.
The former defence minister maintained that the violence in Manipur following extension of the ceasefire to the state's territory was "spontaneous" and "not inspired".
He referred to a rally organised by Meities and Nagas in Manipur nearly six years back to tell everyone that any compromise on the borders was not acceptable to them. That rally was the biggest of its kind in the Northeast, he recalled.
In 1997, when the ceasefire with the NSCN-IM was first agreed to, an all-party delegation led by then Manipur chief minister Rishang Keishing had visited New Delhi to 'emphasise' that both the ruling and opposition members of the state did not want any 'interference' with the state's border, he added.
Asked whether the government had taken the decision of extending the ceasefire despite knowing all these factors, Fernandes kept mum.
He said Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Union Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani were dealing with the situation.
But because they are busy with the forthcoming summit with Pakistan, a solution to the ceasefire issue may take longer than expected.
Both Vajpayee and Advani had, however, assured the Manipuri leaders that the state's integrity would be kept intact, he emphasised.
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