Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, January 18 2009:
Government has been given four day time till January 22 to cancel the allotment of land at Khongjom Phundrei Ching in Thoubal to the Assam Rifles by a public meeting held today at Khongjom organized by the JAC formed in connection with the allotment of land at Phundrei Ching to AR by the state government.
In the meeting organised by the JAC against Occupation of Phundrei Maning Ching (Chingjao) For Installation of AR by Government of Manipur, Khongjom which representatives of various civil societies also attended while setting deadline on January 22 also resolved to launch several forms of agitations form the next day.
Speakers in the meeting criticised the state government of allotting the land there where the historic Khongjom War Memorial where the last war of independent of Manipur with the British was fought and demanded immediate cancellation of the land allotted to the Assam Rifles for installation of the AR post there.
The meeting after a thorough discussion resolved to agitate till government cancelled the land allotment order among other while condemning government attitude of not thinking of important of the site for the people of the state.
It also resolved to press the state government not to station any security establishment in the area and instead develop it as park by erecting memorials of yesteryears heroes of Manipur.
Giving allotment of area to the Assam Rifles without considering the important of place in the history of Manipur by the O Ibobi led SPF government is not against the interest of the people and is amount to hurt the sentiments of the people residing in the surrounding villages but also for the entire population of the state, the speakers in the meeting observed.
Government has given allotment of 144 acres of land to the 34 Assam Rifles at the historic site near the Khongjom war Memorial site may also affect to the future plan of developing the site which one day may develop as one of the most attractive tourist spot.
The Khongjom War Memorial site is a very small space.
So there is the need for keeping reserved the surrounding areas considering the future expansion of the memorial site and developing an attractive tourists spot, the speakers added.