Gaikhangam condemns
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 03 2015 :
Referring to the detention of Rural Development Minister Francis Ngajokpa and MLA DK Korungthang at Khudengthabi along Imphal-Moreh highway by AR troops som time back, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Gaikhangam condemned the same incident as an act of disrespecting the country's National flag.
Raising a motion about the excesses committed by Assam Rifles troops along Imphal-Moreh highway, MLA L Ibomcha remarked that the way AR troops were harassing passengers including patients and even Ministers and MLAs on the highway was humiliating.
They had the audacity to snatch cameras from journalists, Ibomcha decried.
Responding to the query, Gaikhangam said that there were reports about arrest of people for smuggling contraband and illegal goods along the highway.
But harassment of passengers in the name of checking is not acceptable and AR authorities have been asked to direct their troops to stop harassment of civilians on the highway.
A letter addressed to the highest AR authority is also being drafted so that no further incidents of unnecessary detention or harassment of civilians are repeated on the highway, Gaikhangam stated.
The State Government has already consulted the Ministry of Home Affairs to install a sophisticated machine along the highway in order to check smuggling of contraband items along Imphal-Moreh highway.
According to the Deputy Chief Minister, the machine costs around Rs 40-50 crore.
A connection with the incident of threatening Naharolgi Thoudang Editor Khoirom Loyalakpa, a case has been registered and those miscreants who threatened the Editor are being hunted by police, Gaikhangam informed the House.
Official files are being processed in order to give ex-gratia to the victims of the bomb blast near Khunthak, Ukhrul district, Gaikhangam stated in response to a call attention motion raised by Dr I Ibohalbi.