Cong questions BJP's pro-CAA rally
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 28 2019: Reiterating its determination to carry on different modes of agitation until the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is revoked, Congress party has questioned BJP's pro-CAA rally scheduled tomorrow.

The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) celebrated the 134th foundation day of Indian National Congress at Congress Bhavan here today.

Speaking on the occasion, CLP leader and ex-Chief Minister Okram Ibobi stated that Congress party would always oppose CAA, NRC and NPR.

Congress workers cannot afford to sit silent and watch the agenda being pursued by the BJP-led Governments of the State and the Centre.

Cong questions BJP's pro-CAA rally

Congress workers should fight boldly all the undemocratic and unconstitutional activities of the NDA, he said.

Accusing the BJP of threatening the country's constitution, the ex-Chief Minister recalled that Congress party which emerged as the single largest party in the State Assembly election of 2017 should have been given a chance to form Government but no such chance was given.

The incumbent BJP-led coalition Government was formed by violating the Constitution's 10th Schedule.

Congress party must fight back to undo this wrongdoing, Ibobi said.

He asserted that Congress party would never let CAA destroy India.

The way CPI State Secretary L Sotinkumar was arrested was a blatant violation of the fundamental principles of democracy.

"We would not remain silent to such excesses of the State Government.

If any punishment should be awarded to Sotinkumar, it should be decided by Court", Ibobi said.

Talking about the development works taken up by the Congress party in both the hills and valley when it ruled the State for 15 years, the ex-Chief Minister noted that Union Ministers of the NDA Government who used to visit the State every now and then have stopped visiting the State.

He then asked what has happened to the Central Government's promise to develop a smart city at Imphal.

Flatly rejecting Chief Minister N Biren's repeated claim that there was a huge gap between the hills and the valley during the Congress Government, Ibobi claimed that his Government undertook several developments works at remote areas of hill districts.

Saying that there was close interaction between hill people and plain people, Ibobi dismissed the assertion that there was a gap.

Stating that framing rules for ILPS should be done in a very meticulous manner, Ibobi reiterated that Congress party would always oppose CAA and NRC.

Congress Working Committee (CWC) Member Gaikhangam remarked that some political parties which are not even 30/40 years old have been talking as if they built India from the very beginning.

He asserted that a second independence movement is needed today in order to save the country from the chaotic governance.

The governance of today is more dangerous than the state of emergency.

By enforcing an undeclared state of emergency, the incumbent Government has been bullying the masses to follow their line of thinking, Gaikhangam said.

Saying that the Central Government has been confusing the masses by mixing up CAA, NRC and NPR, Gaikhangam asserted that it's time for all the people to fight collectively in order to save the constitution and democracy in the country.

The masses have woke up due to unceasing oppression by the Government and this has placed Congress party in a convenient position to form the next Government, Gaikhangam claimed.

Noting that people are still apprehensive about annihilation by migrant population despite enforcement of ILPS, Gaikhangam warned that ILPS would not be able to supersede CAA.

MPCC president Moirangthem Okendro declared that the Congress party is fully prepared to take on BJP from January 1 next year.

He said that Congress party would not remain silent but would launch a series of programmes.

Citing the defeat of BJP in five States, Okendro went on to claim that BJP's time is over.