North East News Agency: What is your opinion on the decision of withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) from the Imphal municipal areas?
Rishang Keishing: This was the demand of the people and the State Government has accepted it. I believe that this is done on an experimental basis. Let us see how this decision helps in improving the situation. How the other parties respond to the gesture of the State Government. The fact that the ongoing agitation demanding the withdrawal of the Act was gaining grounds with every passing day, this decision may help to ease the situation. After all AFSPA is a special law and is meant for extraordinary situation. It can’t stay for ever. Today or tomorrow we will have to lift it. Therefore, I want to adopt a wait and watch policy. If the situation improves, we can think of lifting it, otherwise we may have to reimpose it.

NENA: Is it true that the decision was taken without the consent of the Centre. Is it a unilateral decision of the Chief Minister?
Rishang Keishing: I can’t comment on that. You will have to ask the Centre and the Chief Minister.

NENA: But were you expecting the decision?
Rishang Keishing: I was anticipating it. But I was not aware about the timing of the announcement. As a matter of fact, on August 12, when we were meeting the central leaders, I was not aware that the decision would be made on the very day.

NENA: You met a number of central leaders. What have you informed them?
Rishang Keishing: As I told earlier, we informed the Central leaders that sensing the gravity of the situation in Manipur, the Centre should think of partially lifting AFSPA on an experimental basis.

NENA: Many say that as you too had advocated lifting of the controversial Act, the Centre has dropped its plan of taking action against Ibobi Singh at least for the time being.
Rishang Keishing: I do not know anything about this. What I did, I did it for Manipur and for the country. If that has saved Ibobi’s chair, let it be. I will be more than happy if I can help my country in the same manner.

NENA: But can you ignore the fact that you have always supported Ibobi Singh? You even helped him to become the Chief Minister?
Rishang Keishing: Yes, I supported Ibibi’s candidature as the Chief Minister because I thought that at that time he was best possible option. But that doesn’t mean that I will support him always. If he takes right decisions, I will support him. But if he is going the other way, I will be the first person to criticise him. In my appeal along with the other former Chief Ministers I made it clear what I feel about Manipur and what needs to be done in the prevailing situation in the State. I am still firm on that. Who is going to benefit or lose from my stand, I don’t care. I will always take the stand which will help the State and the country.

NENA: Then, are you ruling out any possibility of a change in State Congress leadership in near future?
Rishang Keishing: Again you are asking the question to a wrong person. It is not for me to decide whether Ibobi will stay of not. That will be decided by the Congress Legislature Party. If majority of MLAs support Ibobi, he will continue in his post. Otherwise he will have to step down.

NENA: Were you offered the post of Chief Minister by the party high command?
Rishang Keishing: No, never. The question of me becoming the Chief Minister does not arise as I am not even a MLA. The Chief Ministerial candidate should be a member of the legislature party, which I am not. I contested the last Assembly elections and I lost. It is a different matter that a particular underground group worked overtime to ensure my defeat. The underground elements kept my voters away from polling booths by terrorising them . But the fact remains that I lost the election. So until and unless I am elected again, I am not going to return to State politics. As long as I am getting a chance to offer my services to the people I am happy. Posts like Chief Minister do not lure me any more.

| Manipur | North East Enquirer (Headlines) | Nena Home Page |