Imphal, July 15 2009: Striking a tough posture in the midst of agitations being enforced and planned, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh has called upon the general public to oppose disruptive agenda of all organisations, while asserting that the Government would go ahead with the deployment of police commandos and IRB personnel in the hill districts.

Participating in the discussion on demands at the Assembly today, the Chief Minister expressed surprise that some organisations, with ulterior motives, have been trying their best to not only sabotage programmes of the Government but also inconvenience the public through imposition of bandhs/general strikes.

Keeping under wrap details of the police investigation and preliminary findings into the murder of Manipur University's Professor, Md Islamuddin, the Chief Minister, however, affirmed that some student activists are being detained owing to their connection/involvement in the assassination of the MU Proctor.

With reference to the 120 hours general strike call given by DESAM, to protest detention of five student activists, O Ibobi Singh, who is also the State's Home Minister, called upon the public to unitedly oppose and neutralise the agitation programme beginning tonight.

Asserting that the Manipur Police Commando unit was not set up to hunt down or pounce students, the CM said that there is enough reason for security personnel to pull up a handful of student activists out of thousands in Manipur University in connection with the murder of the Professor.

Singling out only a few student activists and their subsequent detention need to be introspected by the people, particularly the womenfolk, he maintained.

Contemplating that Prof Md Islamuddin's role in the MUSU election would have been insignificant, he reiterated that the Government has enough evidence to imprison DESAM activists under NSA and that disclosure of all the findings at the moment would be inappropriate.

The entire truth will be revealed some day, Ibobi assured, while revealing that arrest and preliminary police interrogation of one student activist had led to revelation of many vital information, including connection of the detained DESAM members in the murder of the MU Proctor.

Affirming that the Government would galvanise all its resources in foiling the 120 hour general strike call given by DESAM, he also appealed to the people to extend all possible cooperation in ensuring and promoting normalcy in the State.

Reflecting on the continuous sprouting of armed groups with particular reference to the faction-riddled KCP outfit,he pondered and posed on the importance or necessity for existence of so many student bodies.he pondered and posed on the importance or necessity for existence of so many student organisations.

Apparently approving existence of student unions for specific institutions/colleges, the Chief Minister proclaimed that activities and affiliation status of State level student bodies such as MSF, AMSU or DESAM are under constant scrutiny of the State Government.

On the issue of defiance from certain section to deployment of personnel of the IRB and police commando, the CM made a humble appeal to approve the Government decision but mentioned that the Government could not remain as a silent spectator when officials such as Kasom Khullen SDO Dr Kishan along with two other Government employees had been brutally murdered.

In case there is opposition to the IRB/commando deployment plan the Govt would not relent to such pressure tactics but rather resort to appropriate measures to ensure a secure atmosphere in the hill districts as well, the CM asserted.

While elucidating on the Govt's elaborate plan to take head-on any attempt to undermine rule of law, the Leader of the House, however, candidly admitted that police-public relationship is far from being satisfactory in the State.

Conceding that as law and order issue is a delicate subject excesses committed by security force personnel could not be ruled totally, he also declared that upon ascertaining intention of the men in uniform accused of high-handedness the Government would initiate appropriate punitive action against those found guilty.

Further recounting Union Home Ministry's directive to the states to ensure adequate strength of police/security forces, the CM confided that upon completion of the ongoing recruitment and subsequent training, these personnel would be utilised for overall security of Govt institutions and extend security cover in sustaining minor as well as major development programmes.

Elaborating on the security measures, he said apart from deployment of one IRB battalion in each of the hill district headquarters police stations would be manned by 100 personnel or 50 at the least depending on the prevailing situation.

O Ibobi further declared that in case Govt property or institutions are target/damaged as a consequence of the ongoing agitation under the sponsorship of tribal organisations there would be no leniency on action from the side of the Govt to such elements.

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