Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 03 2009:
Noting that Mahatma Gandhi is revered as father of nation because of his ability to think and work for the whole nation, the JACs of Rabina and Sanjit have accused Chief Minister Okram Ibobi of being prejudiced and discriminatory, concerned with welfare of a few sections of the people.
His inability to think and work for the small state of Manipur as a whole has testified his incompetence of being a leader of the State, alleged the JACs in a joint statement.
Consequent upon large scale recruitment from a particularly area in IRB and police commandos, some of these IRB/commando personnel have started undermining Okram Ibobi himself.
There have been instances of conflicts among police commandos hailing from the said district and others because of discriminatory recruitment, they alleged.
In order to mitigate the problem of criminal activities perpetrated by police commandos and IRB personnel, the power given to them should be devolved and they should kept attached to some police stations only, the JACs demanded.
Observing that the huge amounts of bribe money paid at the time of recruitment was one factor driving the commandos and IRB personnel to commit crimes, the JACs suggested replacement of the existing commandos and IRB with a new batch recruited on merit basis only and trained well.
The existing commandos and IRB personnel are taking advantage of the SPF Government's insincerity, it maintained.
Raising apprehension about police commandos and IRB personnel committing more excesses, the JACs disclosed that one commando personnel currently under suspension in connection with the July 23 Khwairamband Bazar fake encounters came to the house of some JAC members and threatened them by brandishing gun to call off the ongoing movement.
This showed that the Government has not initiated any action against the rogue commandos.
Rather the Government is condoning the guilty commandos, they alleged.
Demanding detention of the seven suspended commandos in police custody, the JACs asked the Government to clarify along with their names whether all the weapons issued to the suspended commandos have been seized or not.
Claiming that they were aware of the Government using Congress and CPI workers in espionage activities in their bid to gather information about the people's movement, the JACs suggested the Government to punish guilty commandos instead of engaging political workers in espionage activities.