Cop aspirants continue hunger strike
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, September 14 2016:
The indefinite hunger strike by members of the DPC Completed Police Constable Candidate (Male), 2013 at the Keishampat Leimajam Leikai community hall in Imphal is still not able to draw Government's attention.
Their health has deteriorated which prompted the JAC to take two of the hunger strikers to hospital for treatment yesterday.
The strike was launched on September 10 as a non-violent resistance against the Manipur government's order to cancel the tests for recruiting 2000 constables held in 2013 .
The aggrieved cop aspirants were earlier led by the State BJP leaders in their protest before choosing the hunger strike mode of agitation.
Secretary of the Joint Committee L Nandakishore warned of intensifying their agitation soon given the 'indifferent shrug' given by the government on their demand.
"We're not ending our agitation until the demand is fulfilled by the government," the JAC pledged.
In the order issued by the government, the results of the tests were cancelled to take up a fresh recruitment process for police Constables.
The recruitment rally is currently undergoing despite strong resistance from the Manipur unit of BJP and JAC.
In the just concluded state assembly session, Home Minister Gaikhangam while trying to shed light on the issue said irregularities were detected in the tests, and that it had been determined by an inquiry.
The Okram Ibobi Singh headed Congress government has been accused of taking huge bribe in recruiting state police personnel.
The constable recruitment issue had made headlines after BJP MLAs Thongam Biswajit Singh and Khumukcham Joykishan Singh were seen at the forefront of the agitation recently.
The BJP MLAs were even arrested and sent to judicial custody on the charge of attempting to disrupt the police recruitment rally here.
But the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) charged the BJP it took keen interest in the Constable recruitment issue while failing to show off its strength on other key issues facing the State.
The Congress charged that the BJP has been acting to gain political mileage as the next State Assembly polls to be held early 2017 approach fast.
It has been speculated that the saffron party might use major unresolved issues of the state as a political tool against the Congress to woo voters in the coming polls.
Sources said the State Assembly polls might take place in February next year, which promises to be interesting in view of the complex issues of the State.