Crediting people for anti-CAB stand...Why were BJP MLAs targeted, asks CM
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 14 2019: Reiterating that the full credit for keeping the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) 2016 at bay went to all the people who protested vehemently against the Bill, Chief Minister N Biren asserted that the Bill was not tabled in the Rajya Sabha because the Government of India listened to the collective voice of the people of Manipur and the North East.

Chief Minister N Biren and leaders of 11 political parties who went to Delhi and lobbied against CAB 2016 under the banner Manipur Democratic Alliance (MDA) were accorded a warm reception at Hapta Kangjeibung here today under the aegis of BJP Manipur Pradesh.

The MDA team met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president Amit Shah and leaders of several political parties and urged them not to pass the CAB 2016 in the Rajya Sabha.

Speaking at the huge gathering, Chief Minister N Biren hailed all the CSOs, student organisations, Meira Paibis and leaders of different political parties who vehemently protested against the Bill saying that it would harm Manipur and the North East.

"We who are running the Government are only working as messengers of the masses.

The credit for not tabling the Bill in the Rajya Sabha and the subsequent peaceful situation prevailing in the State must go to the people of Manipur who vehemently protested against the Bill", Biren said.

"The Government of India would not have listened to us if we were not supported by the masses", he continued.

Stating that the people of Manipur and the North East can now live peacefully with a sense of security, Biren asserted that the good tide seen in the State and the North East region is possible because the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister kept their words that the Bill would not be tabled in the Rajya Sabha without a consensus of the North East people and nothing would be done which can hurt the sentiments of North East people.

"I tremble with fear when I think about our fate in case the Bill was tabled and passed in the Rajya Sabha.

Extreme fear grips my mind when I think about how the people would see BJP and its supporters had the Bill been passed," Biren said.

While Manipur is rejoicing over non-introduction of CAB in the Rajya Sabha, many big States have been lamenting.

National leaders faced immense difficulties when a decision adopted at the National level has the potential to affect smaller States, said the Chief Minister.

"We who are running the State Government too have limitations as we must understand what is happening in other States and at the same time uphold the prestige and interest of our own State", Biren said.

"Even though the Central Government must take interests of all States into considerations, we fought with all our hearts with a conviction that nothing is above the motherland", he claimed.

Regretting that some women vendors were injured in police action in the course of anti-CAB protest, Biren called upon all the people to recall and find out the political party in power when AFSPA was enforced in the State, BLPS was withdrawn and the border agreement of 1967 was signed.

When Rajnath Singh was told that the people of Manipur have doubts and misgivings in the Central Government because the previous Government left scores of issues unresolved, Rajnath asserted that the incumbent Government is not like the previous one which shares little concern for the North East.

The Central Government will listen to the voice of the North East people, Biren conveyed as assured by the Union Home Minister.

Saying that CAB 2016 was not drafted specifically for Manipur nor did the BJP State unit demand any such Bill, Biren asked as to why residences of BJP MLAs were targeted in connection with the Bill which was drafted for the whole country.

Apart from the Cabinet decision to demand a special clause which would exempt Manipur from the purview of the CAB 2016, the State Government has been lobbying for presidential assent to the Manipur People Bill.

Like their residences were attacked, BJP MLAs and Ministers have men who can face or carry out similar attacks, Biren asserted.

Pointing out that women vendors put up nights at markets for the cause of the State, he called upon all sections of the society to fight all State/public issues collectively.

He then urged all concerned to stop practising parochial politics.

Claiming that the CAB 2016 was not tabled in the Rajya Sabha at the request of BJP Manipur Pradesh, Biren asked his political rivals if their entreaties were listened by the Central Government.

He went on to ask his political rivals how many people were killed when they were in power and appealed to all the people not to do anything which can spark a war between truth-loving people and people with tendency towards violence.

"We want peace.

We want peaceful co-existence between hill people and plain people.

Narendra Modi will return as the Prime Minister of the country and BJP will remain in power for at least 10/20 years", Biren said.

"Our service to the poor and the needy is greater than yours.

Our efforts to bring uniform development between the hills and the valley are greater than yours", he asserted.

MDA convenor and Shiv Sena State unit president M Tombi said that CAB 2016 was not tabled in the Rajya Sabha because of the collective struggle of the people of Manipur and the North East.

Calling upon all the people to support the Government in their constructive works, Tombi ruled out any possibility of promulgating the CAB 2016 as an Ordinance.

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