Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 31:
Even as a 9 member team of the Apunba Lup left for Delhi today to meet the Prime Minister and talk things over the people's demand for the complete revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from the State, representatives of 15 social organizations including the All Manipur Students' Union, United People's Front and Manipur Forward Youth Front today said that the team has nothing to do with the Apunba Lup.
Speaking to newsmen this evening at the office of AMSU, president of AMSU Ksh Umesh said that though a tentative agreement has been reached to the effect that the Apunba Lup will meet the Prime Minister and talk things over, the list of the members who will represent the Lup has not been worked out till date.
The earlier understanding was that the talk will be held only after all those arrested in connection with the agitation are released, added the student leader.
The Apunba Lup does not know which organizations are being represented in the team that left Imphal for Delhi today, said the AMSU president adding that the Apunba Lup was not consulted at all before the team left.
"If the talk becomes fruitful and if the response of the Prime Minister is positive, then the Apunba Lup will accept the decision taken by the team, however if anything negative comes out then the Apunba Lup will not accept such agreement," he added.
Training its guns on the State Govt, the student leader said that the delaying tactics employed by the Govt in releasing the jailed protestors is ample proof that the Govt is intent on portraying the Apunba Lup in the wrong light, said Umesh.
Therefore the decision to meet the Prime Minister without consulting the Apunba Lup at such a crucial juncture cannot and will not be taken lightly, he said.
"Though my name was included in the list to meet the Prime Minister, that list was wrong," said Umesh.
General secretary of United People's Front, S Leirikkhomba who was present at the press meet said that the team which left for Delhi today are not representatives of the people.
"They have gone to Delhi on their own accord and have nothing to do with the interest of the people," he added.
As the team left without consulting the people, they should be held responsible for any negative response from the Centre, he said.
The Apunba Lup will not be involved with anything negative the team brings back, he added.
General secretary of National Identity Protection Committee (NIPCO), Karam Sunil said that the Apunba Lup cannot accept the validity of the team which left for Delhi without consulting the people.
If the team comes back with anything positive for the people, then it will be accepted otherwise the Apunba Lup will not accept any half baked solutions, he added.