Imphal, May 18: The Manipur government will raise the issue of “anti-social” activities by tribal militant groups, who are on a suspension of agreement with security forces, at a meeting in Delhi tomorrow.

The meeting is being held between representatives of the Union government, state government and tribal militant groups to fix the ground rules for a proposed ceasefire.

Manipur chief secretary Jarnail Singh, director-general of police Yumnam Joykumar Singh and inspector-general of police (intelligence) L.M. Khaute left for New Delhi today to attend the meeting .

This is the second meeting on the ground rules. The first was held in Delhi in the first week of February.

Tribal militant groups under two umbrella fronts are on a suspension of operation agreement with security forces in Manipur since August 2005.

The Union home ministry and the state government are now finalising the ground rules for the ceasefire with the militant groups.

The United Peoples Front (UPF) comprises the Zomi Revolutionary Organisation and its armed wing, the Zomi Revolutionary Army, the Kuki National Front (President), the Kuki National Front (Samuel), the Hmar Peoples Convention (D), the United Kuki Liberation Front and the Kuki Revolutionary Army.

The Kuki National Organisation comprises the Kuki National Army, the Kuki Liberation Army, the Kuki National Front (Military Council), the Kuki National Front (Zougam), the Zomi Defence Volunteers’ and the United Socialist Revolutionary Army.

The Ibobi Singh government endorsed a draft of ground rules prepared by the home ministry last month. However, the UPF wanted some changes and submitted its own ground rules. Last night, the state cabinet rejected the UPF proposal to allow seeking “donations”, free movement of “officers” of the groups with armed body guards and other organisational activities.

Ibobi Singh left for New Delhi this morning to meet Union home minister Shivraj Patil to convey his government’s decision on the UPF proposal. He will also state that any peace talk with any militant group should not affect the territorial integrity of Manipur.

“The Manipur officials will raise the issue of anti-social activities by tribal militant groups. As the suspension of operation agreement does not have any ground rule, the groups are indulging in extortion, kidnapping for ransom and other anti-social activities,” a source said.

He said the state government felt that if the security forces do not check the groups having the agreement with them, there was no point in continuing the suspension of operation.

The meeting will be held in two parts. The state and home ministry officials will meet the leaders of the UPF and the leaders of Kuki National Organisation separately.