BJP is a party given to telling lies and spreading falsehoods: Ibobi
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 21 2018: Ex-Chief Minister and CLP leader Okram Ibobi has lambasted the BJP as a party given to telling lies and spreading falsehoods.

He was speaking at a protest demonstration staged at Leimapokpam, Bishnupur today against the alleged lackadaisical dealing of the Government with many burning issues of the State such as border pillar row, MU crisis, Framework Agreement etc.

It would turn out to be a very lengthy sermon if all the lies and falsehoods spoken by the BJP-led Central Government are narrated, said Ibobi adding that the NDA Government says one thing and does something totally different.

Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech given on the Independence Day that New Delhi and the North Eastern States have come much closer since the BJP-led Government was established at the Centre, Ibobi asked if the Central Government has done anything substantial for the North East during the last four years and a half.

Narendra Modi's claim that North East has come much closer to New Delhi since BJP came to power is a blatant lie, Ibobi asserted.

When the Look East Policy conceptualised by UPA Government was renamed as Act East Policy, it was thought that the NDA Government would make huge investments in the North East.

Again it was thought that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would announce a mega package for Manipur University when he visited the university for National Science Congress in March this year but all the expectations turned out to be just wishful thinking, Ibobi said.

Luwangpokpa Cricket Ground which was constructed by Congress Government 10 years back was inaugurated by Narendra Modi this year.

On the other hand, it was the UPA Government which adopted both Manipur University and RIMS as central institutions at the request of the then Congress Government, Ibobi pointed out and went on to ask whether the BJP-led State and Central Governments have ever accomplished any such noteworthy tasks.

What they have accomplished is telling volumes of lies and falsehoods, he asserted.

With the renaming of Look East Policy as Act East Policy, the NDA Government withdrew the special status given to North Eastern States.

Again it is the BJP-led Central Government which has plunged MU into total anarchy by appointing one RSS man as the Vice Chancellor.

Perhaps Modi meant this anarchy when he claimed that North East has come much closer to New Delhi, Ibobi remarked sarcastically.

The State Government spent around Rs 200 crore when land with buildings were acquired for expansion of Tiddim Road from Keishampat to Malom.

But when the State Government approached Narendra Modi to provide assistance of just Rs 50/100 crore when he came to Imphal for Manipur Sangai Festival, he refused to provide assistance of even one penny.

It was expansion of Tiddim Road and acquisition of 500 acres for Imphal Airport by the then Congress Government which paved the way for upgradation of the airport to the status of an international airport, asserted the ex-Chief Minister.

Soon after the incumbent NDA Government was formed in 2014, Finance Minister Aran Jaitley announced in the Parliament that National Sports University would be established in Manipur but the university's Bill was passed only this year, Ibobi said.

With the Lok Sabha election just four/five months away, BJP leaders have been going to States like UP, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh where they have been laying foundation stones of many projects apart from announcing huge economic packages.

But none of these projects and economic packages will ever see the light of day.

In the run up to the last Manipur Legislative Assembly election, the Central Government said that they would like to lay the foundation stone of Imphal-Jiribam railway project anew.

But the State Government suggested the Railway Minister to lay foundation for Imphal-Moreh railway line for construction of Imphal-Jiribam railway line had already begun.

But the NDA Government will never lay foundation stone for Imphal-Moreh railway line for they are only good at telling lies.

Same is the case with the BJP-led State Government, Ibobi continued.

In view of BJP's disposition to telling falsehoods, people have a strong apprehension that the Central Government may work out a solution to the issue of NSCN-IM without sharing any information with any of the stake holders.

Even theugh the June 18 incident of 2001 in which 18 people lost their lives is still fresh in the memory of the people of Manipur, BJP Manipur Pradesh has been accusing Congress party of stoking people's sentiments.

"If BJP can come with a statement that integrity of the State will be protected and they will take full responsibility, we will idolise all the BJP leaders", Ibobi said.

In case the Framework Agreement distorts the socio-political set up of Manipur, people will not excuse neither ruling BJP nor Congress.

Given this possibility, Qmgress party has been only discharging their duties as a responsible Opposition party, said the CLP leader.

CWC Member and ex-Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam said that it will be the end of Manipur if the BJP-led Central Government enforces an ordinance in their efforts to bring a final solution to the Framework Agreement.

If they are confident that Manipur will never break apart, BJP should come out with a formal statement, he demanded.

MLA N Loken said that all the people need to be very watchful in view of the changing dynamics of the Framework Agreement.

MP Dr T Meinya, MLA K Ranjit, N Mangi and T Mangibabu too spoke at the gathering.

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