Misleading report: MPCC
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 03 2024: The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has accused an Imphal based daily newspaper of publishing a misleading news story to discredit the party.

Addressing the media at Congress Bhavan today, MPCC general secretary cum spokesperson Dr S Manaoton claimed that some workers of a ruling MLA scattered leaflets of World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council seeking separate administration for Kuki-Zo people in Manipur at Pallel areas recently.

The Imphal based media house, unfortunately, published a news story quoting Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council yesterday which appealed the Congress party to table a Kuki Political Solution Bill during the ongoing Parliament session (winter), he said and added that publication of such news story without verifying its authenticity is not only against media ethics but also has portrayed the All India Congress Committee and MPCC in the wrong light.

The news story was published based on a memorandum submitted to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi in February 2024, the copies of which were also forwarded to President Draupadi Murmu, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Meghalaya MP Agatha Sangma, Outer Manipur MP and Mizoram MP as per the media house, Dr Manaoton continued.

The authenticity of the memorandum however is dubious, he said.

Saying that the media house publishing the news item without verifying the authenticity of the memorandum to discredit the Congress party is unfortunate and unacceptable, he claimed that it was a group of Meeteis who work for an MLA that scattered the highly controversial leaflets having the letterhead of World Kuki Zo Intellectual Council at Pallel area.

Continuing that the Congress party has received information of the people who scattered the leaflets apologising to the residents of Pallel areas for their act, Dr Manaoton said that the MLA is likely to tender an apology from his side too over the matter.

It truly would be very unfortunate if the leaflets which advocate the aspiration of separate administration for Kuki Zo people were scattered by the Meitei MLA using his workers, Dr Manaoton further said.

The dubious memorandum even claimed that the Government of India agreed to table a Bill to establish a Union Territory for Kuki Zo people by bifurcating Manipur on Puducherry pattern under Article 239A during a talk held with KNO and UPF from August 31, 2023 to September 2, he said and added that it would be a big blunder on the part of the Centre if the controversial memorandum turn's out to be true.

Saying that the memorandum, if authentic, only appeals to Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge to assist in tabling the Bill during the ongoing Parliament session, Dr Manaoton claimed that the media house which published the story, however, misinterpreted the memorandum as if Congress party had reached an agreement tp table the Kuki Political Solution Bill with the Kuki militant groups.

Dr Manaoton went on to state that he didn't see other media houses publishing the news item.

It is unlikely that the memorandum having the name of Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council would be authentic as some MPs to whom the memorandum was allegedly submitted are no longer MPs such as Agatha Sangma and Vincent H Pala, he said.

Bill of any kind has to be passed by the ruling party, he said and added that it would have been better had the media house done some research before publishing the news story.

Other Congress leaders also attended the press briefing.

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