Source: The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, August 24:
A proposed goodwill trip by a team of state MLAs to Senapati district, aimed at promotion of social harmony in light of the ceasefire extension imbroglio met a premature end even before it started after the state administration forgot to provide petrol for the vehicles it allotted for the trip.
The MLAs along with members of the media who had been invited to join the trip had a long wait at the state guest house, where they had reported well before 8.30 am in the morning, the scheduled time of departure, until a fuming Col.(retd) H Bhuban Singh, BJP MLA announced that the trip had been called off.
The trip was originally planned to include 15 MLAs, but only eight MLAs- Col Bhuban, Ksh Loken, M Okendra, Vivek Raj Wangkhem, M Manihar, Kh Amutombi, L Jayentakumar and K Ranjit turned up.
Former CM Rishang Keishing and FPM president Prof Gangumei Kamei were among those invited for the trip, but Rishang is reported to be in New Delhi at the moment, and Prof Gangumei did not turn up.
The trip had been fixed three days earlier, with the approval of the state administration, the DGP, Manipur Police, AA Siddique, had already ordered two Gypsys and a jeep for the MLA team, along with one a half section of MR personnel as security escort, but the MLAs were left stranded because petrol was not supplied.
What added to the MLAs consternation was the sight of a team of IAS officers leaving for the INA complex, Moirang, in six Ambassador cars and security escort from the state guest house premises.
Speaking to media persons, Col.H Bhuban said the main purpose of the proposed visit was to interact with a cross section of the people who had fled the valley and were staying in Senapati, and to bridge the gap of misunderstanding and for establishing harmony and normalcy.
He said the shabby treatment of the MLAs by the state administration was very sad and disturbing.
Col.Bhuban maintained that the state administration was sidetracking many issues that needed to be tackled at this hour.
The state is over ridden with crises including the oil crisis and highway blockade apart from the tension arising out of the ceasefire issue.