PM Modi fails to address key issues: Ibobi
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, February 22 2022:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has failed to mention key issues concerning the state And Congress party did not expect a PM to make unethical statements, said former chief minister and CLP leader O Ibobi.
He was speaking during a felicitation function organised in honour of former BJP candidate of Saikot assembly constituency Paokholal Haokip upon joining Congress party and supporting INC candidate in Saikot AC TN Haokip held at Congress Bhawan, here on Tuesday.
Ibobi said that INC leader Rahul Gandhi addressed a rally in Imphal on Monday and the huge crowd that gathered showed that public are supporting Congress party.
The huge crowd has boosted the confidence of Congress party winning the election.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed an election rally on Tuesday and the gathering was less than half the crowd at Rahul Gandhi's event.
It showed the decreasing popularity of BJP and PM Modi.
The gathering could be less than 10,000, he said.
PM Modi failed to mention key issues concerning the state.
Interestingly, Modi claimed that BJP government has improved power supply situation in the state but the public know that it was the Congress government that brought improvement in power sector by developing infrastructure and introducing new policies like prepaid metering system.
Though PM Modi boasted of fighting the Covid-19 pandemic effectively, Manipur is recording lowest vaccination rate with only 47 per cent of its population receiving second dose of Covid vaccine till date, Ibobi pointed out.
He also noted that PM Modi made an assurance of making Manipur free from bandh and blockade but Congress party sees it as an act of threatening the people of the state with bandh and blockade if they do not retain power.
Based on his statement and past activities, it would not be wrong to say that BJP colluded with some anti-social elements to call bandhs and blockades in the state.
Congress party did not expect such statements from a Prime Minister.
Moreover, Modi failed to mention anything about rising unemployment problem, inflation, drug trafficking, and underdevelopment in hill areas.
Congress took up Look East Policy and BJP converted it into Act East Policy.
However, no initiatives have been taken up under the programme.
Despite calling Manipur as a gateway to the east, BJP failed to complete the ICP Moreh project, which has almost been completed by Congress government, he said, adding that almost all of the projects inaugurated by BJP's union minister were completed around 80 to 90 per cent by Congress government.
Accusing BJP of lying and playing cheap propaganda, Ibobi said that democracy has faded under BJP government.
Congress party conducted regular ADC elections but the BJP government has failed to conduet the election.
Neither the PM Modi nor the state government made any clarification in this regard.
Their only excuse will be Covid-19 pandemic though elections are being held in several states.
Instead of strengthening democracy from the grassroots level, BJP is imposing dictatorship, he said, while calling for public support to bring back bright sunny days in the state.
AICC Manipur in-charge Bhakta Charan Das thanked the people of the state for making the Imphal visit of Rahul Gandhi a grand success, and said that Rahul Gandhi touched key issues of the state and showed the party's firm commitment to the state and its people.
The poll rally of PM Modi recorded thin attendance even though the public were free from all other engagements due to bandh and it shows the declining popularity of BJP, he said.
He also charged PM Modi of neglecting key issues of the state so as to avoid questions from the public over the party's failure to fulfil promises.
The BJP government in the state has also failed to declare results of a recruitment process initiated by the government itself.
AFSPA is an important issue of Manipur and yet the Prime Minister made no mention of the same.
He also alleged that BJP is violating model code of conduct by erecting BJP flags on electric poles as ECI guidelines forbid any political party from displaying party flags and posters.
Congress party will file a complaint with the ECI in this regard, he said.
MPCC president N Loken welcomed former BJP candidate Paokholal Haokip for supporting INC candidate.