Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 09 2009:
The Working Committee of the Apunba Lup has asserted that it would not retract a single step from the ongoing movement.
Rather, the ongoing movement would be intensified further.
As long as Okram Ibobi, who has been treating the people like enemies for demanding justice against the Khwairamband killings, remains Chief Minister of Manipur, there would be no let up in the mass movement, the Apunba Lup declared in a press release.
The Ibobi-led-Government is concerned neither with the welfare of the people nor protection of the State's territory.
Their overriding concerns are their seats of power and money, it alleged.
Saying that violence and corruption have rose to the limits in the last eight years since Ibobi took over as Chief Minister of Manipur, the Apunba Lup alleged that Ibobi is writing a history of another 'eight years' devastation'.
For lack of an abled leader, the Congress party is soon becoming anti-people.
What the Apunba Lup and the people have been demanding is replacement of Chief Minister O Ibobi, not dissolution of the incumbent Government.
The conspicuous silence of the Congress party, as if they were oblivious to the tense atmosphere engulfing Manipur in the aftermath of Khwairamband killings, only exposed timidity of Congress party to raise any voice against Ibobi even if hundreds of people are being killed.
As long as Ibobi continues to head the Government, people can never hope for a peaceful, secured life, the Apunba Lup asserted.
Expressing surprise over the alleged dilly-dallying tactics being employed by the Government to protect the 'killers' while many innocent people have been imprisoned under National Security Act (NSA), the Apunba Lup asked whether people should remain silent against such attitude of the Government.
Turning to those individuals/groups who expressed 'deep concern' over lost of school days but showed little concern when innocent people were being slain, the Apunba Lup remarked that continuing with formal education at such critical period would amount to cooking food inside a burning house.
It called upon the people to ponder over what kinds of cooperation/assistance may be extended to the families victimised by the killing spree.
It is natural that any action may entail both merits and demerits.
Critics should think twice if the merits outweighed demerits.
If reverse is the case, they may explain their points, the Apunba Lup invited.
It said that the Apunba Lup could not give much importance to those criticisms made by individuals/groups who seldom participated in public issues.
The people as well as the Apunba Lup are very much aware of the negative impacts of class boycott.
But the Government has turned a blind eye to such a big issue.
As such, the blame should go to the Government, not the students, it alleged.