MPCC ups pressure to convene Assembly
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 14 2019: The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) today staged a sit-in-protest on the footpath in front of GM Hall against non-disclosure of the contents of the Framework Agreement signed between the Government of India and NSCN-IM on August 3, 2015 and the details of the last round of talks held on October 31 this year.

MPCC president M Oken, CWC Member Gaikhangam, Congress MLAs, ex-MLAs, PCC members and a number of Congress workers took part in the protest demonstration.

They used placards which read as "Special Assembly session must be convened", "Don't create a new State within a State etc," apart from raising slogans that the integrity of Manipur is non-negotiable.

MPCC ups pressure to convene Assembly

Speaking to media persons by the sideline of the protest demonstration, Gaikhangam said while many people are happy that a solution to the Naga peace talk will be inked, people's apprehension about possible disintegration of Manipur has been growing day by day as the contents of the Framework Agreement signed in 2015 have been not divulged yet.

It is a firm resolve of the Congress party that any agreement reached between the Government of India and any militant group should not be at the cost of Manipur's integrity and interests, he asserted.

He went on to pledge that Congress party will relentlessly work together with the people of Manipur to safeguard the State's integrity.

Gaikhangam then asked as to why a large number of Central paramilitary forces are being deployed in Manipur when the Union Home Minister assured that the Central Government would not do anything which would harm the interest of Manipur.

Deployment of a large number of military personnel has evoked deep suspicion among the masses.

As such, neither the people of Manipur nor the Congress party can trust the assurance that the interest of Manipur would not be harmed.

Moreover, BJP is a party known for speaking one thing and doing another, Gaikhangam said.

A strong team of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) is currently stationed at Delhi and they have been seeking appointments with leaders of several National parties including AICC president Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

They would make it clear to each and every Central leader they meet that anything which impinges upon the interest of Manipur would be opposed tooth and nail.

M Okendro said that the CLP team currently stationed at Delhi has also been seeking appointment with MPs of different like-minded political parties so as to highlight the fear and suspicion felt by the people of Manipur with regard to the Naga peace talk and its solution.

He also condemned the alleged blocking of Congress workers coming from different places to take part in the protest demonstration on the way to Imphal.

Such action has only multiplied people's suspicion and apprehension.

The protest demonstration is organised in solidarity with the mass civil movement.

It is a matter of grave concern if the Government is saying that Congress party should not join the mass movement.

Earlier in the day, MPCC observed the 130th birth anniversary of the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru at Congress Bhavan.