SHDDC de-communalizes issue, bolsters its support for the demand
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN
Imphal, August 13 2011:
In a fresh impetus to bolster support Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee (SHDDC) has warned the state government of Manipur to stop finding excuses by merely blaming UG groups, Nagas or Kukis on the present political impasse over the demand for the declaration of Sadar Hills into a full fledged district.
The committee also said that the Act that mandated the creation of Sadar Hills district did not say anything about "communalization" .
"Manipur Government should not continue to fine excuses by merely blaming UG groups, Nagas or Kukis," said a press statement of the demand committee today, and added that the state government will be solely responsible for any untoward incidents from the delay in granting Sadar Hills district.
No Underground organization is supporting the present mass movement nor takes part in it.
It is the people in the district who take part in the movement.
If these are seriously accounted for districthood of Sadar Hills by the government, it has no rights to be in power and administers the state.
It will be a serious political blunder if a long-pending rightful demand is not met in time.
The more it is delayed, the more the problem it will be, said the statement.
It stated that the state government has been blaming one section of Manipuris who took unjust stand and policy against the interest of people living in Sadar Hills for the last 39 years.
The press release further observed that while chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh has categorically stated that 80 per cent of Manipuri society has supported districthood of Sadar Hills, it is surprising as to whose decision is to be final in running the government of Manipur.
We want to know if there is any authority empowered to overrule the decision of the state Cabinet.
If the state cabinet is not the highest decision making body of the state governments, it will be a surprise to know that it is party/ies other than the state government itself that are calling the shots, the statement added.
The demand committee (SHDDC) stated that out of the six hill districts that was mandated for creation under the Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Council Act 1971, Parliament Act No.76 of 1971 (26 December 1971), Sadar Hills Autonomous District is left out without implementing all paraphernalia as provided in the said Act.