Central BJP leaders call for dismissal of Ibobi government
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 21 2011:
Taking serious note over the prevailing situation in Manipur, Central BJP leaders have come out strongly against the ruling SPF Government in the state and exerted pressure on the Prime Minister to dismiss it at once and bring the State under President's Rule.
In a representation submitted to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today, President of BJP Nitin Gadkari, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley pointed out that people of Manipur are in a deep crisis today and the state Government has miserably failed in tackling the situation.
The Central BJP leaders demanded that the ruling SPF government should be dismissed forthwith and the state be brought under President's rule (PR) until such time as fresh elections are conducted.
"The government of the day is practically absent.
The state legislature seems to have become completely dis-functional.
Corruption has become rampant and people cannot have any of their problems solved without paying bribe.
Recently, by creating a false picture about normalcy in the State, the Chief Minister has added insult to the injury", the BJP leaders alleged in their representation.
On the hardships being faced by the people, the representation noted that Manipur has been facing a peculiar situation due to the Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee's (SHDDC) agitation by way of economic blockade on National Highways 39 and 53 since August 1 last.
After 20 days of economic blockade called by SHDDC, United Naga Council (UNC) started counter blockade in protest against the demand for creation of Sadar Hills District.
As a consequence, people of Manipur, both in the hills and the valley, are caught in the crossfire and are suffering in multiple ways.
"Never in the past, people belonging to any state in India, had undergone this kind of aggravation and hardships for no faulty of theirs", the representation observed, and pointed out that prices of essential commodities and petroleum products in Manipur has sky-rocketed beyond the reach of common people.
One LPG cylinder (domestic cooking gas) which used to cost Rs 415 before the blockade has reached Rs 1800-2000 after the blockade and one litre of petrol which cost Rs 65 before the blockade now cost Rs 120.Moreover, Onion, which used to cost Rs 20 per kg before the blockade is now being sold at Rs 60-80 per kg and Potato at Rs 40 per kg although its price was just Rs 12 per kg, the representation pointed out.
Urging the Prime Minister to lead an all-party delegation to Manipur and provide the people of the State a much-needed healing touch, the BJP leaders demanded the Union Government to make every possible attempt to bring an amicable solution to the issue of Sadar hills at the earliest.
They also demanded that effective steps should be taken urgently to put a stop to rampant black marketing and ensure availability of essential commodities as well as petroleum products in sufficient quantity all over the state.
Furthermore, the Central BJP leaders proposed that special subsidy/suffering subsidy of Rs 30,000 per month be given to each family of the State to compensate the losses during the ongoing economic blockade so far and a long-term comprehensive policy for ending insurgency in the State be framed forthwith while taking all the political and the people at large in confidence.