Bid to storm Raj Bhavan under Chalo Raj Bhavan call foiled
Cong team presents case to LP Acharya
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 18 2024: Even as police foiled an attempt to storm Raj Bhavan today, a delegation of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) met Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya at his official residence and submitted a memorandum urging his immediate intervention to bring peace in Manipur.

Members of the public, Congress leaders and workers gathered at Congress Bhavan at BT Road before the MPCC delegation's meeting with the Governor at Raj Bhavan.

It was part of Congress' Nationwide "Raj Bhavan Chalo" stir over the Manipur crisis and indictment of Gautam Adani by a US Court.

Protests were held across the country including Assam, Hyderabad, Telangana, Patna, Jammu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Earlier in the day, MPCC held a public meeting at Congress Bhavan.

After the meeting, members of the public and Congress workers tried to march towards the Governor's residence, but were blocked at the gate by a large number of Imphal West police, CRPF and RAF personnel.

The security personnel erected barricades to block the protesters.

A commotion broke out between the security personnel and the protesters, and later a 15-member team of the MPCC was allowed to meet the Governor at Raj Bhavan.

The 15-member team included MPCC president K Meghachandra, CWC Member Gaikhangam, Deputy CLP leader K Ranjit, chief whip Th Lokeshwar, MPCC general secretary Surjakumar, ex-MLA Loken, Md Fajur Rahim, ex-MLA Samuel Hendai, ex-MLA Md Amin Shah, ex-MLA E Dwijamani, Tilotama, Hareswar Goswami, S Jeeten, Bupenda and spokesperson Rabi Khan.

The MPCC team held a talk with the Governor and submitted a memorandum.

Even as Manipur continues to reel under the unprecedented crisis marked by continuous violence, including shootouts, curfews and widespread lawlessness, numerous lives have been lost and citizens are facing an uncertain future, said the MPCC in the memorandum.

It asserted that despite the severity of the crisis, the BJP-led Governments at the Centre and the State have utterly failed to address or mitigate the situation.

"Shockingly, the Prime Minister is yet to visit Manipur, while the utterly inept Chief Minister still clings to power, further highlighting the indifference towards this dire situation," said the MPCC laying down its demands to the Governor.

The MPCC demanded "immediate re-settlement of all the internally displaced persons back to their original homes in their respective localities" .

Special security arrangements must be put in place for movement of citizens between districts in the entire State so that members of communities can freely move from valley to the hills and vice-versa, it said.

The State must instil a sense of security in the people of Manipur.

Normalcy and peace must be brought to Manipur urgently, it added.

Outside Raj Bhavan after the meeting, K Meghachandra said MPCC sought the intervention of the Governor on the current crisis urging him to take up measures to restore peace.

"In the last 19 months, the State and the Centre have failed to take up any effective measures to end violence and bring peace.

The Government has failed the Constitution.

MPCC made a request to the Governor for his sincere intervention to bring peace," Meghachandra said.

He added the Governor heard their demands patiently.

Meanwhile, in the meeting held at Congress Bhavan prior to the meeting with the Governor, Deputy CLP leader MLA K Ranjit said the Government's existence has no meaning when it cannot protect and safeguard the lives of its citizens.

"In a public meeting recently, the Chief Minister has said that the cyber crime (Department) has failed and he has not received any intelligence inputs in the last 15 months.

He has also stated that Manipur has been saved by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.

The CM's statements indicate that he is unable to exercise powers conferred on him by the Constitution," Ranjit said.

When Kuki militants launched an attack using drone bombs at Koutruk killing a woman and injuring her child and several others, the Chief Minister was about to visit the incident site.

However, when the CM was on his way, Amit Shah's phone call made him return, K Ranjit said.

When the CM declared his wish to visit Jiribam, an advance security team was sent, but it was attacked by militants, he added.

"When the situation has reached this, there is no point in holding the chair.

The CM should resign.

The way the Government is running can't save Manipur," K Ranjit said.

He asserted that even as their governance has failed, the double engine BJP Governments in the Centre and the State are falsely blaming everything on the Congress.

Amit Shah doesn't understand the Manipur crisis.

He has made several self contradicting statements on the conflict, Ranjit said.

"At one time, the Union Home Minister identified 'Court's ruling' as the cause of the conflict.

Later, he changed his statement and said the crisis was an external aggression.

Now, he has said that the crisis is an ethnic clash.

Likewise, the Chief Minister has made multiple statements without ever taking up any concrete measures to end violence," Ranjit said.

He claimed the Chief Minister didn't make any comment on the brutal killing of three women and three children in Jiribam.

"He made no comment on the brutal killing of three women and children by militants.

When enquired, he said the case has been given to NIA.

Is the Government here to only give cases to the NIA?" Ranjit asked.

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