Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 05:
Senior Parliamentarian and Left Front MP Somnath Chatterjee today said only a popular ministry will be able to solve the myriad problems facing the State.
He came down heavily on the Centre for failing to tackle the problems in the North East properly.
Addressing reporters along with West Bengal LF chairman Biman Basu at the State Guest House, Chatterjee castigated �adhoc policies� of the Centre and charged that the PR administration is showing no signs of addressing people�s grievances.
He said the Centre has totally neglected the NE problems and there has been a total failure of planning in the region.
The people of the region should be entitled to have equal rights with that of the rest of the country, he added.
To a question, Biman Basu said the people of Manipur have rejected the Centre as evident from the June 18 incident.
In this line of thought, the BJP and the Samata Party have been totally rooted out form the State, he said and predicted that these parties will perform nil in the next State Assembly elections.
Stating that the PR regime has shown no sign of working for development and peace, Basu said the people now want a fresh mandate.
On his party�s preparations for the polls, he said that the matter will be first discussed in its Politburo meeting which will be held shortly.
He said the meeting will deliberate in detail the party�s poll strategies and the other issues arising out of the Centre�s rollback of the NSCN (IM) ceasefire agreement.
The LF leaders also strongly criticized the Centre for not consulting the Opposition, State leaders and the people.
They condemned �excess� committed by the security forces to the civilians in the region.
A resolution passed by LF earlier yesterday urged the Centre to provide a one time bulk grant to the State and increase the lanes of the NH 39 and 53 to 4.It also requested the Centre to make arrangement for availing air cargo facilities at subsidized rates and extend the proposed Super Highway to Manipur.
other points includes steps for employment generation and modernization of small and cottage industry, establishment of a Central University in the State, bring abut a political solution to the insurgency problem of the State.