Imphal: Several civil society organisations staged a sit-in at Keishampat here on Saturday in protest against the "extension of Article 371 (A) or alike in Manipur".
The protest was organised by the joint committee of All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (Amuco), Committee of Civil Societies Kangleipak (CCSK) and United Committee Manipur (UCM).
The rally was organised against the backdrop of interlocutor R.N. Ravi's statement of giving "special status" to Nagas according to the recent report submitted by the parliamentary standing committee on Framework Agreement.
The agreement was signed between the NSCN (I-M) and the Centre on August 3, 2015, to bring the Naga peace talks to a conclusion.
The joint committee said the report throws light on the possibility of extension of Article 371 (A) of the Constitution beyond Nagaland.
This is the first of the protests lined up by the committee. A statewide 24-hour general strike will be launched on the midnight of July 31 while a mass rally is scheduled to be held on August 18.
CCSK vice-president Jeetendra Ningomba said any attempt to give "special status" to the Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by extending Article 371 (A) will divide the people of Manipur.
"We strongly oppose this divisive policy of the Centre. If the article is applied in the Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur, the state government will have no right to interfere. It will be like an existence of a state within a state. This is an indirect submission to the demand for greater Nagaland," Ningomba said.
He said their movement was not against any particular community. "It is a protest against the policy of the Centre to disintegrate states in the Northeast," he added.
Ningomba appealed to the people of Manipur not to say anything that would hurt the sentiments of other communities. He said many organisations were trying to protect the integrity of the state.
"Amuco, UCM and CCSK are struggling to achieve love and integrity in the region. Everyone needs to support this," he added.
The speakers at the rally accused the central leaders of giving false assurances that the framework agreement would not hurt the sentiments of the people.
They said although the national leaders have repeatedly assured the people of the state that the Framework Agreement does not contain anything detrimental to the collective interest of Manipur, the proposal for extension of Article 371 (A) beyond Nagaland hints at the contents of the agreement which has be concealed by the Centre so far.
Amuco president Ph. Deban alleged that the Centre's attempt to enforce Article 371(A) in Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh was a "creepy strategy" to disintegrate the three states.