Loss of border villages TC, JD (U) fire salvos at State Govt
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 31 2013: Trinamool Congress Manipur Pradesh and State unit Janata Dal (United) have strongly criticised the Congress Government in the State for the latter's alleged failure to safeguard the State's border areas and interest of the border villagers.

Speaking to media persons at their respective offices today, the Trinamool Congress demanded immediate suspensions of the ongoing border fencing work while JD (U) contended that every projects undertaken by the State Government have become heartaches for the public.

Holding a press conference at the party's office in Hotel Excellency today, Trinamool Congress State unit president Kim Gangte accused the O Ibobi Singh headed Government of Manipur of trying to please the Myanmar Government by sacrificing border areas of Manipur to the international neighbour even after India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru acted similarly by gifting the Kabow Valley to Myanmar.

The fence that has come up along the border Photo : Somerendro Sorokhaibam

Questioning what measures the present State Government has taken up to protect Manipur's boundary despite recently claiming at the floor of the Assembly that not an inch of the State's land would be ceded to others, Kim Gangte, a former Lok Sabha MP, observed that the State Government's stand and action, if any, on the issue contradict wishes of the people.

Insisting that suitable measures should be taken to stop the boundary fencing work with immediate effect till the dispute is reviewed, she charged both the Congress Governments at the Centre and State of being anti-people.

Handing over the boundary fencing activities to the Indian Army and preferring to remain silent, despite Manipur certain to lose substantial areas to Myanmar suggest there is a hidden agenda under the guise of border fencing, contended the State Trinamool chief who also noted anxiety of the people of 14 border villages as they are steadily realising that assurance by the Govt to protect Manipur's boundary would not materialise.

Strongly opposing commencement of fencing work without proper assessment of historical map during spot enquiries, she also vehemently condemned indifferent attitude against the border villagers by both the Central and State authorities.

Ridiculing construction of concrete walls under the objective of protecting the country's boundary when interest of Indian citizens in the border areas are being neglected, Kim also criticised alleged lack of commitment by the Manipur Government to protect its own land and people when the same Government had staunchly opposed transgression on Manipur's land by Nagaland villagers.

Rather that commit itself towards safeguarding emotional and territorial integrity of Manipur, the Congress Government has been acting in a whimsical manner, she claimed.

Commenting on the current shortage of transport fuel and cooking gas and hike in prices of essential commodities consequent to disruption of transport activities on the national highways linking Manipur, Kim suggested that the Government step down owning moral responsibility for the suffering of the people.

Describing the Tribal Development department as a defunct component of the State Government with the allegation that no welfare programmes had been implemented judiciously, she also stated that devolution of power to the district council only in namesake will never serve the purpose of reviving the district councils.

Predicting that anti-people policies of the Congress party is certain to bring about downfall of the Congress Governments in both the Centre and the State, the former MP called upon political parties to keep aside parochial political agenda and launch a united campaign to win the people's confidence.

On the otherhand, JD (U) State president M Tombi observed that Indo-Myanmar border fencing by bisecting many border villages on the Manipur side is a serious cause for concern.

Reacting on reports that Manipur will lose substantial border areas to Myanmar in case the fencing work continues at the presently demarcated zones, Tombi alleged during a media briefing at the party's Babupara office that every project undertaken by the Congress Government has not only failed to benefit the people but eventually turning out to be perilous for many.

Insisting that almost every Congress Government activities have either evoked controversy or had become a bane, the JD (U) chief recounted that on September 22, 1952 India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru appointed Baleswar Prasad as Commissioner in-charge of Manipur affairs.

On October 23 the same year Jawaharlal Nehru in his maiden visit to Manipur landed at the erstwhile Koirengei airfield in an Indian Airlines Dakota flight at around 1.25 pm flight followed by a rousing welcome accorded by Maharaj Bodhchandra to the first PM and traditional Meitei luncheon consisting of 108 dishes, Tombi elaborated with regard to events leading to gifting of Kabow Valley to Burma (presently Myanmar) .

formally taking over charge as the Commissioner of Manipur on March 28, 1953 Baleswar Prasad held a secret meeting the next day with the Burmese Prime Minister close to the international border during which the fertile Kabow Valley of Manipur was gifted to Burma in exchange of Andaman and Nicobar as a part of the indian Union.

While the people of Manipur are still feeling distraught on losing one of the one fertile tract of lands, including vast natural resources, the recent demarcation for boundary fencing by directly bifurcating many Manipur villages amounts to rubbing salt to wound, Tombi expressed adding that inspite of repeated reminders by chiefs of border villages affected by the boundary fencing the Government of Manipur has been acting indifferently.

Cautioning that failure to protect the land and uphold interest of the border villagers who have been paying hill house tax to the State Government and have valid voting rights would have far reaching repercussions in the near future, the JD (U) president desired that Government of Manipur accord top priority in preserving Manipur's land which the forefathers safeguarded with their blood.

Highlighting that non-Congress political parties view the border issue very seriously, he also suggested that the State Government commit itself in resolving the border dispute at the earliest.

Tombi further conveyed that an all political party meeting would be held on August 3 at the MPP office in which deliberations would range from border disputes to conditions of national highways and surface communication bottlenecks.