BJP paid over Rs 16 cr to Kuki militants: Jairam
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, March 03 2022: The Congress party on Thursday alleged that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the BJP-led government in the state, in complete violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC), handed out huge amount of money to UG groups under Suspension of Operation (SoO) to threaten public, who support rival candidates of BJP in the ongoing state assembly election.

Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhawan here on Thursday, AICC senior election observer Jairam Ramesh said that the party has received information from a highly placed source within the state government that confirmed that the Ministry of Home Affairs provided huge amount of money to SoO groups through the state government on two occasions.

The MHA sent Rs 15,70,32,000 on February 1 and another amount of Rs 92,65,950 on March 1 this year to the state home department and the same amount was channelled to the SoO groups through SP CID.

The said amount was sent through an SBI account number ending with 615892 opened at Secretariat Branch.

MHA sent the amount on February 1 through cheque number 517801 and the amount on March 1 through cheque number 517802, he claimed.

The former union minister contended that the BJP government in Manipur "bribed" banned militant groups under "Suspension of Operation" to "influence the voters in the state" .

Ramesh, who is Congress' election in-charge in Manipur, claimed that in a "shocking and flagrant violation" of the Election Commission's Model Code of Conduct, BJP government in Manipur released over Rs 15.70 crore on February 1 and over Rs 92.65 lakh on March 1 to banned militant groups under the "Suspension of Operation".

Both the payments have been released by the Union Home Ministry and made by the state government, he added.

"These payments ensured that the elections in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts in the first phase on February 28 could not proceed freely, fairly and peacefully.

The bribes to banned militant groups under the Suspension of Operation' would also influence the elections in Tengnoupal and Chandel districts in the second phase on March 5," the Congress leader told the media.

Sharing the cheque numbers and other bank details, he said: "This is how the BJP is buying elections in Manipur, spreading fear and intimidating voters.

This is how the BJP is indulging in corruption to remain in power".

The former union minister said that payments of crores of money in the run-up to the elections reflects the priorities of the double-engine "BJP government" .

"These payments were made when majority of the one lakh state government employees have not received salaries for two months" .

"Such unethical payments to the militant outfits were made when 6,000 mid-day meal cooks have not been paid for 18 months, when majority of the former state government employees have not received their pensions in the last six months, when almost all pensioners have not received their retirement benefits, Ramesh asserted.

The Congress leader alleged that the BJP governments at the Centre and the state, using the money power, have turned "Manipur into Moneypur" and such a thing has never happened in the other parts of the country so far.

The pro-talks militant outfits specially the Kuki groups, which are under ceasefire agreements with the governments for the past four years, are currently residing at various designated camps in Manipur.

Around 2,000 cadres of various militant outfits are living in the 14 designated camps in different hill districts of Manipur.

Ramesh asserted that the Congress never opposed the "Suspension of Operation" against the militant outfits and never against the talks with the extremists groups.

Comment