Sept. 16: Delhi today indicated it was not averse to reviewing ?some portions? of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, but Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh asked the organisations leading the agitation against the law not to expect a complete withdrawal.

Ibobi Singh told the media after a meeting with Union home minister Shivraj Patil that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government had understood the misgivings of the people of Manipur about the armed forces act and conveyed to him its willingness to examine some of the contentious clauses.

The chief minister, who received a vote of confidence from the Congress high command and the Manmohan Singh government a few days ago, said the legislation could not be withdrawn completely until militant groups aborted their secessionist campaigns.

Ibobi Singh said representatives of the Apunba Lup, the joint committee of the 32 organisations leading the agitation, were willing to resume talks with Delhi and the state government to end the impasse.

Ibobi Singh claimed the situation was ?more or less? normal.

The chief minister met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and minister for development of the northeastern region P.R. Kyndiah earlier in the day. Kyndiah said announcements on development projects in Manipur would be made only after the by-election to the Konthoujam Assembly seat.

As Ibobi Singh was building a consensus on Manipur, army chief General N.C. Vij said in Srinagar that Thangjam Manorama, whose death in Assam Rifles? custody triggered the crisis, had ?questionable? credentials.

?Everyone knows that she was mixed up with the underground. There are reports available on that. Even the state chief minister is on record as having said this.?

Citing the post-mortem report, Gen. Vij said the allegation about Manorama being raped before being shot had already been proved wrong. ?It has come out clearly that there was no rape and I think this is one fact which must reach everyone.?

In Imphal, the Apunba Lup erupted in anger over the statement.

?The army chief?s statement is irresponsible and silly. If the army chief is so confident that there was no rape, why this whole tamasha of an army court of inquiry, DNA test of Assam Rifles personnel etc? Is the whole drama being played out to twist facts so that no rape can be established?? asked O. Ratan, a spokesperson of the organisation.

Floral tributes were today paid to Manorama, Pebam Chittaranjan and Memita Devi at Bamon Kampu in Imphal East and some other parts of the state. Chittaranjan died after attempting self-immolation and Memita succumbed to injuries suffered during a police crackdown on protesters.