Imphal, August 23 2009: Asserting that the people's struggle and agitation against State sponsored violence will continue unabated, the Working Committee of the Apunba Lup, has questioned the real motive of the visit of the Union Home Secretary, GK Pillai.

Going on the offensive, the Apunba Lup questioned why Pillai has preferred to maintain a stoic silence on the demands of the people and accused him of dodging the real issue of talking about development.

In a statement issued to the press, Apunba Lup said that if the Government of India is concerned about the plight of the people of Manipur, the Union Home Secretary should have talked about the demands raised by the people, which include, the revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Manipur (for which Sharmila has been on a fast unto death agitation since 2000), the demand for the resignation of the Chief Minister, punishment of the police commandos involved in the July 23 fake encounter as well as punishment of the police officers who tried to conceal the facts.

The demand also includes the unconditional release of all the Apunba Lup functionaries arrested by the State Government.

Instead of addressing the demands of the people, Pillai has been talking about development, which will be of no use to a people, whose rights to life have been snatched away by the Government.

The Union Home Secretary ought to have taken the people into confidence and spelt out the stand of the Government over the demands of the people, it contended.

Dubbing Ibobi as an enemy of the people, the statement said that he is not fit to lead the people.

Until and unless the Government of Ibobi is dragged down from power, the agitation of the people will continue, it asserted.

The bomb attack at Chamber Hospital on August 21 was nothing but a ploy of the Government to divert the attention of the people, alleged Apunba Lup.

The Lup also came out strongly against the police for intimidating students and forcibly stopping them from participating in the people's movement.

Till today, the Apunba Lup has been waging a battle against the draconian laws imposed in the State and until and unless Delhi and Imphal hear the demand of the people, the agitation will continue.

The Lup has readied all measures to carry forward the agitation, it added.

The Apunba Lup has also questioned the stoic silence maintained by the Congress MLAs and Ministers, who at one point of time opened camps at Delhi and Imphal to oust him.

Their silence has added credence to the suspicion that their loyalties have been bought by the Chief Minister, it alleged and added that these Ministers and MLAs ought to make their stand clear now.

It would be suicidal to allow a man like Ibobi to continue as the Chief Minister, even after he deliverd such a contentious statement on the floor of the House, it added.

For years, many innocent people have killed wilfully under the impunity granted by the AFSPA and today, the Chief Minister himself has unleashed a pogrom to annihilate the people, alleged Apunba Lup and questioned, hopw long he should be allowed to remain as the Chief Minister.

It also exhorted the people to be ready for all future course of action and agitation.

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