“Insurgency no longer an issue” in North East
At the NEC meeting in Shillong on Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah instructed chief ministers of the region to shift focus from law and order to safeguarding the rights of citizens.
He maintained that this shift is necessary “as insurgency is no longer an issue.”
Importantly, he made the statement in the presence of all state chief ministers and governors, including Neiphiu Rio, Y Khemchand Singh and Himanta Biswa Sarma — chief ministers of Nagaland, Manipur and Assam respectively.
Northeast leaders unite behind ‘Vision 2047’
The plenary session discussed and deliberated on the progress made by the Chief Minister High-Level Task Forces constituted for key sectors of regional development.
In a tweet, Shah mentioned that he had “directed the states to build AI, machine learning and blockchain infrastructure for new generations.”
On the occasion of the NEC plenary session, held under his ministry, Shah also instructed states to promote the Northeast’s potential in agarwood, foreign trade and health tourism.
Amit Shah chaired the 73rd plenary session of the North Eastern Council, where leaders from the eight northeastern states resolved to work towards a stronger and more prosperous region and deliberated on the North East Vision Plan 2047.
Union Minister for the Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Jyotiraditya Scindia, said all leaders are united in their resolve to create a “stronger and more prosperous” Northeast.
Addressing the 73rd NEC plenary session in Shillong, Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh said the ongoing civil conflict in Myanmar has triggered a significant influx of people into Manipur’s border districts, creating multifaceted challenges for the state.
“This is not 1962, this is New India,” Arunachal CM on border watch at NEC meet
Pema Khandu said Arunachal historically bordered Tibet, dismissing Beijing’s repeated claims over the strategically important state. He said the historical context of the border should not be overlooked.
“We don’t share a border with China, but with Tibet-China. Originally, we shared a border only with Tibet,” he remarked.
He also dismissed concerns regarding border preparedness, emphasising that the situation today bears little resemblance to the 1962 Indo-China war.
“Infrastructure-wise, this is not 1962; this is 2026. This is New India,” Khandu said.
It is a rare occasion that China figured so prominently in an NEC meeting.
Manipur CM flags border influx, seeks faster Indo-Myanmar fencing at NEC meet
Myanmar’s continuing unrest has strained resources, altered demographics and complicated governance across border districts. He said the violence-hit state is already facing multiple and complex problems due to ethnic clashes and incidents involving Kukis, Nagas and Meiteis.
Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh urged the Centre at the session chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah to expedite construction of fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border, describing the situation along the frontier as one of the most pressing security and humanitarian challenges confronting the region.
“The ongoing civil conflict in Myanmar has caused a large influx of persons into our border districts, placing enormous pressure on local resources, altering the demographic balance, and creating serious administrative and law enforcement challenges,” he said.