Fitting tributes paid to late M Ibotombi under the call of love, unity, development
CM takes sarcastic dig at bomb culture
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 07 2011: Launching a scathing broadside against the culture of violence and intimidation, Chief Minister O Ibobi has today questioned whether the practise of placing bombs in public places, opening fire in crowded places etc will take the perpetrators of such acts anywhere nearer to their stated objectives.

Speaking at the 17th death anniversary of former Minister Moirangthem Ibotombi, popularly known as Heirok Ibotombi, the Chief Minister said that such a culture of violence and intimidation has been going on for too long.

The function was organised by the Moirangthem Ibotombi Memorial Trust on the theme Love, Unity and Development.

Led by the Chief Minister a large number of people turned up to pay floral tributes to the statue of the late Minister.

"Such practise of placing bombs in public places and firing in crowded areas do nothing except add to the suffering of the common people," said the Chief Minister.

Chief Minister O Ibobi paying tributes to the statue of (L) M Ibotombi

Asserting that no ends can justify the acts of violence, the Chief Minister said that the negative fallout of such a trend can only be detrimental to the public.

"There can be no greater sin than playing with the lives of innocent people such as killing helpless labourers and using them as human shields," said the Chief Minister.

The observation of the Chief Minister came a few days after the bomb blast on the concluding day of Sangai Manipur Festival that killed a cart driver on November 30 .

Dubbing the act of using a cart driver inhuman, the Chief Minister said, "The very act of the outfit in hiring a cart driver for a mere Rs 20 and making him carry the explosives and then killing him, just to send across a message or two was cruel and inhuman" .

The Sangai Manipur Festival was organised to boost the tourism potential of Manipur, added Ibobi.

Asking all not to carry out such mindless acts of violence, the Chief Minister said, "The people will not tolerate any such mindless acts.

The Government will also not remain silent if the security forces commit any excesses and train their might against the people" .

Seeking to clear his stand on the continued imposition of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, the Chief Minister said, "It is the circumstances which have forced the State Government to continue with the Act.

It is under the instructions of the Centre that the said Act has been enforced in the State in the face of the threat to life and property of the people" .

That the State Government is not keen on continuing with the Act is borne by the very decision to repeal the same from the seven Assembly segments of Imphal Municipal Council, said the Chief Minister.

Even now violence and killings continue in the seven Assembly segments from where AFSPA has been lifted, he asserted.

Going on the offensive against the practise of indiscriminate killings, the Chief Minister said that it is against all human norms to kill without trial.

"Human norms demand that anyone charged of any misdemeanour should be tried under a set of law.

No one has the right to kill," said Ibobi.

Stressing on the inevitability of equitable development, the Chief Minister said that the SPF Government is committed to equal development of the hills and valley areas.

"It is along this line that the Government has taken the decision to set up one mini-secretariat and one district hospital at all the district headquarters.

A number of Government schools in the hill areas will also be upgraded.

Water supply schemes will be streamlined and stress has been laid on road connectivity," added the Chief Minister.

IFCD Minister N Biren, Kakching AC MLA Y Surchandra, Heirok AC MLA M Oken, Wangjing Tentha AC MLA M Hemanta and district officials attended the function.