AR firing : Cong demands FIR, judicial probe
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 10 2023:
Categorically stating that the State Cabinet's condemnation of the Pallel atrocity where Assam Rifles opened fire upon civilians and killed two is not enough, the Congress party has asserted that the State Government should register an FIR and institute a judicial enquiry against the AR troops.
Speaking to media persons at Congress Bhavan here today, MPCC president K Meghachandra said that the Congress party was deeply shocked by the Pallel firing where AR troops shot dead two civilians and inflicted injuries to over 100 people.
The Congress party condemns the firing in the strongest terms, he said.
Questioning the act of firing directly at civilians, Meghachandra asked if the State Government has taken up any action against the Assam Rifles.
It is a matter of grave concern that the State Government limited its reaction to mere condemnation when Assam Rifles were killing civilians and inflicting large scale casualties, the MPCC president decried.
The Cabinet decision to apprise the Centre of the Assam Rifles' excessive action only exposed that the State Government is a weakling which cannot take a decision of its own, he remarked.
He also questioned the failure of the unified command to summon a meeting and demand an explanation from the Assam Rifles.
He further questioned the State Government's failure to register an FIR against AR in connection with the Pallel firing.
Many people have already started questioning whether the State Government is dead or alive.
At the same time, people's trust in the Central Government has been waning day by day, he said.
The Central Government and the State Government should take a collective responsibility in order to control the violence but there is no coordination between the two, Meghachandra said.
Responsible AR officers and sector commanders should be questioned why they opened fire at civilians directly in the name of controlling mobs.
Such excesses of Assam Rifles have all the potential to escalate the violent situation, he cautioned.
The State Government has been paying no heed to the repeated calls of the Congress party to hold a proper Assembly session where the protracted violence can be discussed at length and a concrete decision can be adopted.
With all businesses, services, industries and other economic sectors brought to a grinding halt since the past four months, the State's financial condition has plummeted to the extreme.
The State's financial situation was already affected very badly by the Covid pandemic, he said.
Rather than paying any heed to the displaced people's persistent demand for appropriate security measures so that they can go back to their original homes, the Government is paying more attention to the contract works of building houses, he continued.
The State's law and order machinery should be enforced/applied uniformly in both the hills and the valley.
If FIRs should be registered against people involved in the violence, it should be done in both the hills and the valley, Meghachandra added.