Phungzathang questions CCpur uproar
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 09 2016: Health and Family Welfare Minister Phungzathang Tonsing has questioned why a particular community took the role of vanguard in the public uproar witnessed in Churachandpur after three Bills were passed by the Manipur Legislative Assembly for protection of indigenous people.

Speaking at a Congress workers' meet held at his Paite Veng residence here today, Phungzathang stated that more than 1000 Bills have been passed since he became a Minister in the State.

Even if there were flaws in the Bills, the same were tabled before the State Cabinet and they were rectified.

Quoting Chief Minister O Ibobi's open invitation to all concerned to point out if the Bills contain anything inimical to the interest and rights of hill people, Phungzathang asserted that the Bills don't contain anything which impinges upon the collective interest of tribal people.

"If anybody thinks the Bills contain any clause which impinges upon the interest and rights of hill people, please pin-point it and the same be amended", he appealed.

"There are 60 MLAs in Manipur.

If the Bills are defective, all the MLAs should be held accountable.

But it would be wrong to heap all the blame upon me", said the Health and Family Welfare Minister.

MLAs may commit errors.

Nonetheless, there is a Government to correct such errors.

Pointing out that there are many tribal communities in Manipur, Phungzathang questioned why one particular community of Chura- chandpur championed against the three Bills.

All the people of Manipur are one and equal and all the tribal people of Manipur belong to the State.

If there is unity among the people, there will be speedy development, he stated while calling upon every people to maintain communal harmony.

Maintaining that he had no ill-will against those people who ransacked and set ablaze his house at Churachandpur, but the Almighty's judgement will come one day or the another.

There are people who are creating issues out of nothing among tribal communities of the State.

Yet, if there is an issue, there must be a solution, he asserted.

Informing that the Government has been working to give one-time compensation to all the victims' families of Churachandpur uproar, Phungzathang appealed to all the people forget what happened in 2015 as 2016 has already begun.

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