Ibobi tongue lashes BJP
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 07 2019: Contrary to the common expectation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi might announce certain packages for Manipur when he came to the State on January 4 to inaugurate some projects and lay foundation stones of some others, the Prime Minister inflamed the whole North East region, asserted CLP leader and ex-Chief Minister Okram Ibobi.

Speaking to media persons at Congress Bhavan here today, Ibobi said he thought Chief Minister N Biren mentioned that the Prime Minister would announce a few packages for the State but Modi went away without answering any of the questions asked by Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC).

After leaving Imphal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed another public rally at Silchar where he announced that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 would be passed in the Parliament shortly.

It was this particular statement of the Prime Minister which has inflamed the entire North East region.

The North East Students' Organisation (NESO) has already called a bandh throughout the North East region against the BJP-led NDA Government's move to pass the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, Ibobi said.

Foreign Nationals from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, particularly Hindus would be eligible to apply for Indian citizenship if they have resided here for six years once the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 is passed.

Saying that Manipur would be transformed into a dumping ground for waves after waves of immigrants if the Bill is passed, the ex-Chief Minister asserted that passing the Bill would amount to opening floodgates and it would also mean the end of all indigenous peoples of the North East just like what has been seen in Tripura.

Reacting to a statement made by the State Planning Board's Deputy Chairman ahead of Narendra Modi's arrival at Hapta Kangjeibung that the incumbent State Government is in a difficult situation in paying interests of over Rs 9000 crore borrowed by the previous Government, Ibobi asked whether the Deputy Chairman was speaking with enough knowledge or not.

When Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014 after serving as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for three consecutive terms, the total debt of Gujarat was over Rs one lakh crore and Gujarat occupied the third position among all the States of India which had the highest debts.

The Government of Gujarat's debt has risen even higher now, Ibobi said.

Saying that the State's total financial debt in 2016-17 when he quit the post of Chief Minister was Rs 8323.37 crore, the ex-Chief Minister quoted the Finance Minister who reportedly said in the State Assembly that the State's financial debt has risen to Rs 9085 crore and asked whether the incumbent Government which is not even two years old has borrowed around Rs 1000 crore.

Soon after Letpao Haokip became Water Resources Minister, he went on an inspection trip to Dolaithabi Barrage and it was reported that the project had been completed by 98 per cent.

It was not right for the BJP-led Government to claim as if the whole project was executed by them, Ibobi said.

As no amount has been incorporated in the State budget for the Chingkheiching water treatment plant which would facilitate drawing of water from Thoubal Dam for consumption at Imphal, the same project has been stalled, Ibobi added.

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