Imphal, July 20: Even as Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Prakash Jaiswal arrived at the State today to take stock of the current situation, the 32 organisations, spearheading the movement against the custodial death of Th Manorama and demanding the revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, have stated that the visit of the Union Minister is just a ploy to pacify the people and not to address the issues confronting Manipur.

In a statement issued to the press today, the organisations said that the Union Minister is not here to announce that the dreaded Act will be lifted or that the jawans involved in the killing of Manorama would be punished or that the Centre would put a stop to the series of fake encounters and custodial deaths perpetrated by the security personnel.

Rather the visit is nothing but a ploy to derail the protest launched by the people.

Letting known its agenda in clear cut terms, the organisations said that there would be no let up in their movement and informed that a public meeting will be held tomorrow at 10 am at Tiddim Ground to discuss the future course of action to be taken up.

A torch rally will also be held today at 7 pm, added the statement.

Stating that the security personnel, especially the Assam Rifles, have been eliminating people against the rule of law in cahoots with criminals/renegade militants, the statement said that if the Centre is sincere about pulling up the erring personnel, then it should have taken up an inquiry against the DIG of Assam Rifles as well as against the Commander of 3 Corps, for the simple reason that the series of killing cannot be without their knowledge.

The organisations reasoned that the rampant killings should not be seen as the handiwork of some erring personnel but a well crafted policy to suppress and annihilate the people of Manipur.

Moreover if the Centre is really sincere about bringing justice then it should have started an inquiry into the matter to punish and book the culprits, for it is an established fact that Th Manorama was killed after she was picked up from her house, added the statement.

On the imposition of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, the statement said that propaganda and misleading information have been spread by the powers that be.

The Act is not here to protect the people, said the organisations and added it is only meant to brutalise the people under the garb of upholding the law of the land.

Dubbing the Judicial Inquiry and the Court of Inquiry instituted to probe the killing of Manorama as a farce, the organisations said these measures are nothing but an eye wash to hood wink the people.

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