Dy CM seeks apology from BJP
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 07 2015 :
Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam sought an unqualified apology from the concerned leaders of BJP regarding the 'immigrant' remark as mentioned in the party's Vision Document brought out in connection with Delhi Assembly election.
Gaikhangam, who is also the president of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), was addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan after joining a sit-in-protest organised by Youth Coyness as a part of the country-wide protest staged against BJP's remark.
He said that the recent remark has exacerbated the sense of insecurity among the people of North East States as people of mainland India have been constantly harassing them at different parts of the country.
Saying that it was unfortunate to refer NE people as immigrants, Gaikhangam asserted that the incident has hurt the sentiment of NE people.
He said that Manipur witnessed a huge people's up- rising, which claimed 18 precious lives, after the then BJP-led NDA Government declared a ceasefire with NSCN (IM) without territorial limits in June 2001 .
Although, people's expectations from the current NDA Government are high, BJP has made a blunder extremely hurting the sentiment of NE people, he added.
Expressing surprise over how such big mistakes can be made in an important document of a major party, the MPCC president questioned whether BJP's Vision Document was prepared by some party workers without consulting the qualified party leaders.
He said that the document clearly reflected BJP's hidden agenda against the people of North East people.
Gaikhangam said that many students and youth have now started sarcastically asking from where they could get Visas to visit India and BJP must give their reply on this question.
Saying that nobody in the country would believe that the immigrant remark made in their Vision Document was just a clerical error, Gaikhangam said that people would decide on its own what steps should be initiated against BJP regarding the issue.
And BJP leaders must tender an unqualified apology to NE people regarding the issue, he added.
Regarding recovery of an IED from near BJP Manipur Pradesh office, Gaikhangam said that security personnel are kept on strict vigil to thwart such incidents.
However, anti-social elements hire many persons to carry out such attacks, he added.