Manipur under unofficial PR for long : Ibobi

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Feb 14 : Although Manipur came under President’s Rule officially on February 13, the State has been under unofficial President’s Rule since quite a long time back, said CLP leader and former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi.
Speaking to media persons at Congress Bhavan, BT Road here today, O Ibobi pointed out that all sections of people have been reeling under extreme misery and the State’s economy has also fallen into a very bad shape on account of the violent crisis which erupted on May 3, 2023.
The plight being endured by the people of Manipur for such a long time is unprecedented.
If the Government of India wishes, the violence could have been brought to an end a long time back.
It is the BJP-led Central Government’s attitude of disrespect and arrogance towards the people of Manipur which has been making the people suffer extreme misery for such a long time, the CLP leader asserted.
The statement made by former Chief Minister N Biren as he landed at Imphal airport from Delhi that he would govern the valley areas while Union Home Minister Amit Shah would look after the hill areas only reflected the Centre’s sheer arrogance, he remarked.
He went on to question if the Centre sees the people of Manipur as second class citizens.
The appointment of a Security Advisor on the next day of the outbreak of the violent crisis and stripping the Chief Minister of the post of Unified Command Chairman was bewildering, Ibobi remarked.
When the Supreme Court observed that law and order is a State subject, and the law and order in Manipur has collapsed completely, the State Government replied that law and order was in the hands of the Centre while the State Government was taking care of only civil administration, Ibobi said.
He then urged the Central Government to elect a new Chief Minister of Manipur and see that the protracted crisis is resolved, displaced persons move back to their homes and there is free movement of all communities from one district to another.
Turning to the ruling legislators, Ibobi appealed to them to let the BJP Government complete its full term.
Yet, he expressed strong contempt against the State (ruling) legislators acting as puppets of the Centre.
The State Government must exercise the powers guaranteed by the Constitution, the former Chief Minister asserted.
The Congress party was preparing to raise a strong point for protection of all those people who took the responsibility of protecting the State’s integrity, boundary, people’s lives and properties in the seventh session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly.
But the Congress party’s efforts have been rendered meaningless as the same session has been aborted, he said.
Deputy CLP leader K Ranjit said that village volunteers came into being because of the abject failure of security forces to protect Meitei civilians and their properties in the face of relentless attacks carried out by armed Kukis.
The Congress party was asking the State Government to reflect a provision in the Governor’s address  to protect village volunteers, Ranjit said.
The Congress party was prepared to raise a private member resolution in order to protect village volunteers but the scheduled Assembly session has been aborted, he lamented.
Ranjit then appealed to all womenfolk, particularly Meira Paibis, to roll up their sleeves to protect village volunteers.
The Congress MLA also mentioned the arrest of village volunteers from Heirok on Friday.