Imphal : Manipur remains cut off from the rest of the country due to the economic blockade by Naga groups resulting in a sharp increase in the price of essential commodities in the state.

Naga groups have blocked all routes to state over a proposed visit of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah to his birthplace.

After the failure of Union Home Secretary GK Pillai's talks with Muivah, the Home Ministry that had initially asked the Manipur Police to provide Muivah security for the visit is watching from a distance.

The proposed visit has pitted two states of India against one another. Muivah is determined to go to his ancestral village at Somdal in the Ukhrul district of Manipur but the Manipur government is determined not to let him in.

The anger is evident in Imphal in various sit-in protests. "Even though he was born in Manipur, he has never spoken for Manipur and instead supports Nagaland. He has made Manipur suffer a lot," says the Secretary of Advanced Women Society Amubi Devi.

In response to the protests in Imphal Valley various Naga bodies, who want Muivah to visit his birthplace, have put up an indefinite economic blockade. There is an acute shortage of day-to-day supplies, hospitals are also running out medicine and oxygen supplies, and Fuel prices have shot up. The locals, who are bearing the brunt of the agitation, expressed their displeasure.

"We feel very discontented with this. By creating such inconveniences and suffering to common people, they will not be able to achieve their goal. We are not happy about it," says Nabakumar Singh.

Despite Pillai's damage control race from Imphal to Nagaland and assurances that the Army will help truckers bring in supplies the results are not yet showing.