Rescued labourers grateful to Sugnu committee
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, March 03 2024:
Reacting sharply against the statement of chief minister N Biren in the ongoing assembly session, blaming the peace committee formed by Sugnu MLA K Ranjit as the reason why Sugnu got burnt, labourers, who were rescued from a border village in Churachandpur by the peace committee said that the 99 labourers would have got killed if not for the committee.
A group of labourers, who were part of the 99 labourers including nine women and an eight-year-old boy rescued from Khongkhai village in Churachandpur district on May 9, briefed the media at Manipur Press Club here on Sunday.
One Toijam Bimol of Bashikhong said that he was part of a team of labourers engaged for construction of a bridge at Khongkhai village.
There were other labourers working on different projects and manual works including road project, culvert construction, drain construction and charcoal production among others.
As the crisis broke out on May 3, they were in no position to get out and were worried about their safety, the chief of Khongkhai village brought them to Lalloiphai village near Sugnu in five Shaktiman trucks escorted by armed Kuki volunteers on May 9, he recounted.
Bimol further said that they came across chiefs of different Kuki villages of Churacnandpur and Chandel in Lalloiphai and they found out that they were rescued by the peace committee formed by MLA K Ranjit, which had chiefs and village authorities of the surrounding Kuki and Meetei villages.
They would have got killed if not for the peace committee, he opined while decrying the remark of the chief minister.
Akoijam Ingocha of Thoubal Athokpam said that he was part of a team of labourers working on a road project in Khongkhai village when the crisis broke out.
As they reached Lalloiphai, MLA Ranjit was there waiting for them.
The 99 Meetei labourers were from different parts of the state including Thongjao, Waikhong, Wangoo, Thoubal Athokpam, Kiyam Siphai, Thongju, Churachandpur, Pukhao, Sekmai and Kumbi among others.
They are grateful to the MLA and the peace committee he formed for rescuing them from an inevitable end, he said.