UCM opposes sectarian demand
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, November 21 2021: United Committee Manipur (UCM) has strongly condemned the petty politics of communalism and sectarian demands as well as agitations intended at disintegrating the state, while calling upon the people of the state to uphold the essence of unity and integrity.

In a statement, UCM said that several tribal chief ministers had ruled the state and substantial power has been devolved to the Autonomous District Council in property (movable & immovable), agriculture, tribal development, animal husbandry, village planning, forest (except for reserved forest areas) among other sectors.

Besides, the government constituted Hill Areas Committee under the state assembly to understand and address the short-falls of tribal communities.

Unfortunately, some elected representatives are now resorting to communal politics and propagating demands technically aimed at creating a state within the state or a parallel government.

Recently, the state government produced a whitepaper on actual development fund share for hill areas in the last 10 years.

However, none of the members of the Hill Areas Committee uttered word over the whitepaper and neither are they willing to dissect the whitepaper in a proper forum.

Instead of discussing such matters in the right platform, some public leaders with their vested interest, are bringing the issue down on the highway through bandhs and blockades, UCM lambasted.

While reminding all concerned that since inception, UCM has been standing for the unity and integrity of the state, the statement affirmed UCM and its units, components and subsidiary organisations are always ready to support any sort of public movements if they are in the interest of the state and its unity.

However, UCM cannot tolerate any demand or agitation aimed at bifurcating Manipur.

Sadly, the state government has also failed to keep a committee under the state assembly under control, the statement said, while asking if the public would be able to place their trust in the government.

The statement also said that UCM is always ready to fight against any demand which would be detrimental to the integrity of the state.

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