Imphal, October 12: People Student Front president L Roshan has lambasted Chief Minister O Ibobi's claim that the 13 NSCN (IM) leaders who were arrested by Manipur Police commandos were released by the State Government without any trials in the interest of the people of the State.

Talking to mediapersons today, Roshan asserted that the Chief Minister as well the Cabinet Ministers should step down from their respective posts as they have acted against the people's wishes.

If the Government had released the NSCN (IM) leaders in the interest of the people, the State Government should immediately clarify to the people what the interest is, said Roshan adding that the people the State Government had acted in accordance with the wishes of the people.

Asserting that imposition of curfew and other prohibitory orders in and around the city will not help cool the charged sentiment of the masses but will only worsen as they would become more motivated, Roshan said that the Front views the State Government's decision to impose an indefinite curfew today in an attempt to foil UCM's mass sit in protest as a serious matter.

Why is the State Government hell bent on preventing any forms of protest in the valley for safeguarding the State's territorial integrity while letting the NSCN (IM) supporters organize meeting at their will in the hills, questioned the SPF president and added that if the Government is going to continue applying two separate rules for the hills and the valley, Chief Minister O Ibobi should resign immediately from his post or else he should go to Nagaland and stand for elections there if he wants to continue his Chief Ministership.

He also informed that PSF would extend its cooperation and support to all forms agitation raised in connection with the protection of the State's territorial integrity and added that PSF will be supporting the MAFYF's Meira Paibi rally on October 15.