JTC belittles shut down call by TCPF
Source: Chronicle News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, September 21 2021:
In response to the call for total shutdown in Tamenglong town by Tamenglong Concerned People's Forum (TCPF), the Joint Tribes Council (JTC) of Inpui, Liangmai, Rongmei and Zeme has clarified that the bandh is not mandated and urged the office bearers of TCPF to stop confusing people.
In a statement, JTC said that there is no such mandated organisation called TCPF and added that "whosoever is claiming to be the office bearers of the TCPF is asked to stop confusing the people and to clarify their position to the JTC at the earliest in the public interest" .
The JTC claimed that they invited chief minister N Biren to Tamenglong headquarters on September 22 at 9:30 am as the people of Manipur.
It mentioned that the CM was invited by the council to lay foundation stones of some new developmental projects and to inaugurate completed projects such as the 50-bedded hospital at the Tamenglong District Hospital which will facilitate opening of 15 ICU beds to be constructed within October 2021 free of cost by an NGO, a teachers' quarter and a girls' hostel at EMRS Tamenglong, an oxygen plant at Tamei and Tamenglong District Hospital, a playground at Tamenglong headquarters and many others.
"The invitation was extended with a sense of urgency as inauguration of projects would be restricted once code of conduct for the forthcoming election is announced," it said.
The Council then stated that the CM's visit is not at all related to the 'Go to Hills' programme of the state government "and hence there is no truth to accuse the JTC of selling off tribal rights whatsoever" .
According to the JTC, there is no resolution or stand of either tribal bodies or the United Naga Council (UNC) to boycott the visit of the chief minister or the developmental initiatives of the government.