Amid crisis in the state, Ukhrul to be developed as the summer capital of Manipur

Despite several attempts to derail the visit of Chief Minister N Biren Singh to Manipur’s Ukhrul on Wednesday, where he held a Cabinet meeting, a warm welcome was accorded by the public to the Cabinet. 

The Cabinet meeting held in Ukhrul is significant as it's for the first time after the ethnic clashes broke out in the state that the Cabinet met outside the capital of Imphal. However, what made it a landmark is the announcement by the Chief Minister to develop Ukhrul as the summer capital of Manipur, an announcement he made in a public meeting held after the Cabinet meeting. 

"Development of Ukhrul is the priority of my government. Ukhrul is of historic importance in the context of Manipur and Northeast. The Prime Minister's vision for Northeast should have Ukhrul as a landmark in the map of the region," N Biren Singh said, speaking to Republic after his visit to the hill district. 

"The Tangkhuls and the Meiteis have shared a very unique bonding. But, because of various political and ethnic equations of parties that ruled the state in the past, we were divided. Now that we have decided to share the spirit of brotherhood, no one can stop the progression of Manipur," the Chief Minister said to Republic. 

"Today I also announced that we are going to construct a Meitei and Tangkhul Heritage Museum at Hundung. It will create an awareness among the coming generation about the bonding that these two communities share and help in securing a future in the arms of brotherhood," the CM said.

Meanwhile, addressing the public meeting earlier in the day, the Chief Minister also stressed on the land crisis in Ukhrul as a result of its growing population and proposed to develop a parallel township in Sirarokhong, close to Ukhrul. In the public meeting he also emphasised on the various initiatives being undertaken by the state government to ensure all-round development of the hill areas of the state. 

The announcement in regards to the summer capital in Ukhrul is set to have at least some political ramifications in Manipur in the near future, as Ukhrul is dominated by the majority tribal community of the state, the Tangkhuls. Considering the fact that Manipur is currently going through one of the worst ethnic divides ever witnessed in the state, the announcement made by the Chief Minister is being seen as a move bold enough to safeguard the integrity of the state at any cost.