Ex-Dy CM goes hammer and tongs against BJP Govt
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 02 2018:
Categorically stating that there was not a single incident/report of guns missing from police/MR camps/battalions during the tenure of the previous Congress Govt, ex-Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam has asserted that BJP has been playing a blame game.
He was speaking at a dedication ceremony of rooms and MPCC library held today at Congress Bhavan here.
He went on to ask what BJP was doing all these years if they had any report of such incident (missing guns) during the time of Congress Government.
He said time has come for the Congress party to lead the people of the State and the country to the right path as BJP has failed to meet the expectations of the people.
Although BJP has been making tall promises, none of these have been translated into action.
Maintaining that the red carpet which was rolled out for BJP leaders in the initial days of assuming power has turned into "carpet of thorns" with people regretting the mandate given to BJP, the ex-Deputy CM further said that leaders should speak the truth instead of making false promises.
He sarcastically described the BJP led Government as a "Government of image" adding it only showcases photos/images of BJP leaders all over the walls of Imphal city and does nothing for development of the State.
Saying totalitarian or authoritarian mode of governance is not acceptable in a Parliamentary democracy, he lambasted the State Government for being arrogant, Gaikhangam saying that everybody including press cannot say anything against the party's mistakes and failures.
Ex-Chief Minister Okram Ibobi stated that there is a growing need for amending the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution in order to make the anti-defection law more effective and reform the Judiciary system and ensure expeditious justice delivery system in the country.
The ex-Chief Minister observed that the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, which was introduced by the 52nd Amendment in 1985 during the tenure of Rajiv Gandhi to discourage defections cannot achieve its objectives as Speakers often misuse their authority in favour of the parties they belong to which in most cases happen to be ruling parties.
Moreover, the judicial system in India is quite lengthy and sluggish which has resulted in volumes and volumes of cases pending in Courts thereby undermining the value of timely dispensation of justice to the people, specially the poor and the underprivileged, Ibobi said.
Therefore, the Congress party will work for reformation of the judicial system and amendment of the Tenth Schedule as and when it comes to power, he asserted.
Decrying that the special category status given to the North East region had been withdrawn as soon as BJP came to power, Ibobi noted that a huge financial assistance received from the NEC to take up various developmental projects and schemes by virtue of enjoying special category status had come to a grinding halt.
He went on to say that many developmental projects, including construction of Mini Secretariat buildings and Capitol Project could be taken up during the Congress tenure because of the financial assistance given by NEC by virtue of enjoying special category status.
He also said that it has always been a tradition for the Congress party to honour those who contributed to the growth and development of Congress party.
The Congress party has been able to reach it current status because of the great works done by leaders in the past, he said and urged all party workers to further strengthen the party by upholding the principles, ideologies and philosophies espoused by senior party leaders in the past.
Many Congress MLAs, leaders and party workers also attended the function and paid floral tributes to the portraits of (L) M Koireng Singh, (L) RK Jaichandra Singh and (L) Rishang Keishing who were all former CMs of the State.
Many rooms and a library were dedicated to the three expired CMs as acknowledgement of their contributions to the party during their lifetime.