BJP clarifies on foiled rally
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 10 2018:
BJP Manipur Pradesh has clarified that the rally planned by Congress party in commemoration of the Quit India Movement yesterday was foiled by police as the Congress leaders and supporters attempted to take out the rally on a route where no rallies or dharnas can be staged.
Speaking to media persons today, BJP Manipur Pradesh vice-president Prof S Tiken said that the route selected by Congress party is included among the list of zones notified by the Secretariat, Home Department in 2001 where rallies and dharnas are not permissible.
Subsequent upon an application submitted by Congress Seva Dal seeking permission to take out a rally on the particular route, the Imphal West DC sent a letter to the Congress Seva Dal chief organiser informing that the particular route is a hyper sensitive zone.
Informing that neither rallies nor dharnas are permissible on the route, the DC asked the Congress Seva Dal to choose an alternate route, Prof Tiken claimed.
Police too appealed to the Congress leaders not to stage any rally on the particular as it was not permissible but they did not pay any heed to the appeal and tried to stage the rally forcibly.
This resulted in a tense stand off and police foiled the rally, said Prof Tiken who is also spokesman of BJP Manipur Pradesh.
By claiming mat the BJP-led Government is anti-National and murderer of democracy for foiling the rally, CLP leader and ex-Chief Minister O Ibobi attempted to mislead the masses, he decried.
He went to say that placards embossed with Youth Congress symbol and which read 'Remove AP Pandey to save the students of Manipur University' were used in the aborted rally which was said to be in commemoration of Quit India Movement.
Taking strong exception to the Congress party's allegation that the BJP-led Government is dictatorial, Prof Tiken pointed out that the Supreme Court has been examining many cases of secret and open killings committed during the 15 years of Congress rule in the State.
Prof Tiken cited the cases of Sanjit and Rabina, Th Manorama, Sapam Robinhood etc.