Manipur talks from Nov 1

Sources said that though Rajkumar would officially be taking over only on November 1, he is already in touch with various groups in the state. He is currently posted as Principal Secretary (Social Welfare) in Bangalore.

He would start his stint in the Centre with an extensive tour of the state where he would hold meetings with various insurgent groups, including the Apunba Lup. He is expected to finalise the modalities of the talks during his visit to the state, sources said.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil also confirmed that talks with the Apunba Lup representatives — likely to come to Delhi in the first week of November — would be conducted by officials. ‘‘However, if need be, they can also talk to me or even to the Prime Minister,’’ he said.

However, sources said that before starting an official dialogue with them, the Home Ministry would hold a series of internal meetings to decide the conditionalities.

‘‘While the Apunba Lup’s main demand remains lifting of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the state, the Centre too would be putting forth its own conditions,’’ an official disclosed.

‘‘The Centre’s expectations have already been conveyed to the Apunba Lup during the last round of dialogue with Governor S.S. Sidhu. The Centre wants them to lift the ban on teaching Hindi in the state, and also on the National Cadet Corps (NCC),’’ he added.

In fact, the government did not seem completely averse to the idea of lifting the AFSPA from the state. Rajya Sabha member and former chief minister Rishang Keishing is believed to have told Home Minister Shivraj Patil that there was no harm in lifting the Act if it helped in improving the situation and restoring peace.

Keishing had been asked by Patil to act as a facilitator for talks with the Apunba Lup. Following the request, he held several meetings with the group, sources said.

The confidence-building measures adopted by the Centre, after the initial mismanagement, seem to have softened the Apunba Lup. ‘‘The government had opened all possible channels to get the insurgents on board. Appointment of a local Metei officer as an interface, initiative taken by the Governor and then other political leaders including Keishing, appear to have sent a positive signal in the state. The insurgents realise that talking to the government is the only way to achieve their ends,’’ sources added.