Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, Aug 14 2009:
Maintaining that he became the Chief Minister on being elected the leader by the legislators of the Secular Progressive Front (SPF) and that the July 23 incident at Khwairamband Bazar was very unfortunate, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh has assured the Joint Action Committee Against the Brutal Killing of Ch Sanjit of finding out the truth and doing justice while he is still the Chief Minister.
Representatives of the JAC met the Chief Minister and discussed the July 23 incident this afternoon.
However, as no agreement could be arrived at during the meeting, the JAC has struck to its stand of continuing to launch agitation until consideration of all the demands already placed before the Government.
Talking to mediapersons after the meeting, JAC convenor Th Anita explained that the meeting with the Chief Minister has taken place at the insistence of Imphal East SP.
According to Anita, during the meeting, the JAC team exerted pressure on the Chief Minister for handing over the case to the CBI to which the Chief Minister noted that the Government had taken the decision of instituting a judiciary inquiry as the investigation of the CBI may take time.
The JAC had also raised the demand for dismissal of all the police commandos who have been put under suspension and imprisoning them for life and suspension of higher police officials including DGP, Senior SP of Imphal West and Additional SP who are responsible for the misleading statement on the incident read out by the Chief Minister on the floor of the Assembly on the same day of the incident.
To this the Chief Minister contended that since the dismissal of the suspended police commandos could be effected only on the basis of the report of judicial inquiry, necessary action would be taken up on receipt of the report and due consideration of the public senti ment would be kept in mind.
The Chief Minister also reportedly assured the JAC representatives that necessary action would also be initiated against the DGP, Senior SP of Imphal West and Additional SP if they were found guilty of misguiding the Government.
When the JAC pressed for a clarification that Rabina was killed while five other civilians were injured not by the bullets fired by Sanjit, the Chief Minister maintained the truth can be known from the forensic report and necessary actions would be taken up based on the report without compromising the aspirations of the people.
To the suggestion of the JAC to hand over the portfolio of Home to some other Cabinet Ministers, the latter observed that he took charge of Home at the request of other Cabinet Ministers and if the public want him to give up the post then he would accordingly start discussing the matter with his Cabinet colleagues.
To the demand for unconditional release of the arrested 14 JAC members and volunteers of the Apunba Lup, the Chief Minister conveyed that information on the action taken report in this regard would be relayed through the Superintendent of Police.