Imphal, July 06: Close on the heels of the two Padmashree awardees noted writer, MK Binodini Devi and renowned theatre director, Mr Ratan Thiyam announcing their decision to relinquish their respective awards in protest against the decision of the Government of India to extend the centre-NSCN (IM) ceasefire to Manipur, two sisters both recipients of many national awards have also that they would give up their awards if the ceasefire is not withdrawn from Manipur within the midnight of July 8.The two sisters, namely Miss Konjengbam Memcha and Miss Konjengbam Linthoingambi of Langthabal Lep Mayai Leikai in Imphal West district made the announcement during a press conference held in the office of the United Voluntary Youth Council, at Madhu Bhavan at Keishampat this afternoon.

Both Miss Memcha and Miss Linthoingambi had received various national awards such as Rajya Purashkar Award, Rashtrapati Guide Award, National Youth Award and Nehru Yuva Kendra District Youth Award.

Announcing their decision at the press conference; Miss Memcha, the elder of the two sisters said that the people of Manipur are bonafide citizens of India while the NSCN (IM) is an outlawed insurgent group.

But the Government of India is standing on the side of the outlawed extremist outfit disregarding the wishes of the bonafide citizens, she lamented, adding that in such circumstances, it's meaningless to keep the awards.

"People's honor is more precious than national awards," she said.

Miss Memcha was awarded Rajya Purashkar in 1982, Rashtrapati Guide Award in 1993 and National Youth Award in 1999-2000.Her younger sister, Miss Linthoingambi, also recipient of awards namely Rajya Purashkar Guide Award, Rashtrapati Guide Award and Nehru Yuva Kendra District Youth Award, in a sad tone pointed out that the government of India tried to stop the Talibans from destroying the only 500-year-old Buddha statues of Bamiyan in Afghanistan.

It even went to the extent of offering to bring theist back to India.

However when the more than 2000 year old territorial integrity of Manipur, which is very much a part of India, is seriously threatened of being destroying, the government of India remains indifferent, she rued.

She also expressed her unhappiness that none of the members of the youth forum constituted for the National Youth awardees have come forward to look into the problem of the state.

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