Blaming previous Governments for one's utter inefficiency is a matter of shame: Ibobi
Prof Bimol recalls 'Let me be the last widow' wail of a young woman
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 04 2024: Former three times Chief Minister and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Okram Ibobi has stated that blaming the previous Governments for one's utter inefficiency and misgovemance is a matter of shame.

O Ibobi was speaking at a reception ceremony held today at Congress Bhavan here in honour of Advocate L Brojen and his supporters and Kh Shyam and his supporters who joined INC today.

Advocate L Brojen contested the last Assembly election on RPI (Athawale) ticket in Oinam Assembly Constituency.

Kh Shyam who served as a security officer in NHPC hails from Bishnupur Assembly segment.

Welcoming all the new members who have joined INC and the INDIA Bloc Manipur by putting faith in the candidates fielded by the bloc in the two Parliamentary Constituencies of Manipur, O Ibobi stated that the ensuing elections can change how Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N Biren see the people of the North East and Manipur.

Even though Chief Minister N Biren has been blaming the previous Governments at every platform, he was also a Cabinet Minister of those Governments and thus he was a party to all the policies and programmes formulated by the previous Governments, Ibobi said.

Another politician who was with the Congress Government for 15 years is currently in Chief Minister N Biren's Cabinet.

It is a matter of utter shame for the incumbent Government to blame the previous Governments when they are completely clueless on how to protect citizens' lives and their properties, the former Chief Minister asserted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Government has completed 10 years at the Centre and the State's BJP Government has completed seven years but no significant development programmes/projects could be seen in the State.

"The incumbent Government is unable to even complete the projects started in our time", he said.

The BJP Government is unable to complete the 18 years old Jiribam-Imphal railway project the foundation stone of which was laid by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in 2006.The railway project was completed by 70 per cent in 2017, the last year of the previous Congress Government.

It was only recently that Jiribam-Khongsang section was partially completed, he said.

Likewise, the 10 Kms of border fencing which was taken up by the Congress Government was completed only recently.

The CLP leader went on to ask how many years it would take to fence 400 Kms of Indo-Myanmar border if fencing just 10 Kms took 10 years.

He further asked what is holding back the incumbent Government in rectifying the blunders, if there were any, committed by the previous Government.

The incumbent Government has been subjecting thousands of people to unspeakable misery by forcing them to stay in relief camps for almost one year.

This is not something which is seen anywhere else, Ibobi said.

"For all these reasons, let us teach both the incumbent Central and State Governments a befitting lesson and show to the whole world that we cannot be bought by money nor are we accustomed to living through begging", he said.

"Manipur is a part of India and we need not beg the State's share from Modi", he added.

Speaking at the gathering, INC candidate in Inner Manipur PC Prof Angomcha Bimol Akoijam appealed to all the voters not to see the ensuing election as similar to the ones held earlier.

"We need to feel the unprecedented threats being faced by Manipur and its extremely sorry state of affairs", Bimol Akoijam said.

The crisis which unfolded in the State since May 3, 2023 is far more devastating and critical than the one seen in June 2001.At that time there was no restriction on movement of people to Kanglatongbi, Moreh etc, he said.

People launched a strong mass movement in June 2001 to protect the integrity of Manipur and many of them were killed but today Manipur today has broken apart.

This is something unprecedented in the history of Manipur, Prof Bimol Akoijam said.

"We must not forget tens of thousands of compatriots have been living a wretched life without a home all these months.

One cannot claim that peace has been restored in Manipur when a large number of people are living a wretched life of homelessness", he said.

Until and unless all the displaced people are allowed to return to their original places, one cannot claim that the crisis has been resolved, he asserted.

When a young woman appealed to the authorities concerned to make her the last widow after her husband was killed in the violence instead of crying out in pain and sorrow, it was a classic case of putting the community's interest in front of her own personal interest, Prof Bimol said.

It was a fine example of the highest level of patriotism, he said.

"When I went to different places to counter the wrong narratives of the crisis and set the record straight, some people called me microphone patriot/nationalist.

"The Government would turn against those brothers who have been fighting the aggression in the frontlines by invoking different laws on the charge of perpetrating criminal activities.

When this happens, we would not be able to save our brothers.

It is the people who would save the youngsters.

A big problem will unfold at that time.

"If I'm elected as an MP, I would say it boldly and openly that the youngsters were forced to take up arms as the Government, police, paramilitary forces and the army failed miserably to protect the citizens' lives and their properties", Prof Bimol continued.

Even today, many youngsters are being arrested even though a peace process is underway, he pointed out.

When the Government or law enforcing agencies try to arrest the village defence volunteers, all the people must raise a strong and collective voice in protest and demand general amnesty, he added.

MPCC president K Meghachandra, CWC Member Gaikhangam, former MPCC president N Loken and many leaders of political parties who are partners of INDIA Bloc Manipur were seated on the dais during the reception function.

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