CPI vows to fight all major State issues
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 10 2019: The Communist Party of India (CPI) released its election manifesto today and it promised to fight all major issues of the State if the party's candidate Dr M Nara is elected to the Parliament.

The CPI manifesto vows that it would demand autonomy for Manipur and restore its special category status.

Apart from promising to repeal AFSPA, the manifesto also vowed to fight CAB tooth and nail.

CPI's election manifesto for the 17th Lok Sabha election was released at Irabot Bhavan here this afternoon.

After releasing the election manifesto, CPI State Secretary L Sotinkumar asserted that the ensuing election is a battle between secular democratic forces and BJP and its allies which believe in fascism.

The election is a battle to save the country's Constitution, secularism and democracy, he said.

Sotinkumar said that Dr Nara is a lone candidate not only for CPI but for all other Left parties.

The election manifesto was drafted in consultation with all other Left parties and other like minded parties.

Saying that CPI's thoughts, visions and line of actions which would be taken up promptly in case Dr Nara is elected have been laid down in the manifesto, Sotinkumar appealed to all the electors of Inner Manipur PC to support the CPI candidate.

CPI vows to fight all major State issues

CPI's manifesto is broadly divided into two categories�� State agenda and National agenda.

As many as 24 points are listed in the State agenda column and the first point promises that CPI would urge the Government of India to grant autonomy to Manipur and restore its special category status.

The second point says that CPI would always oppose CAB tooth and nail.

The CPI manifesto says that the border issues of Manipur would be resolved and the State's total number of Parliamentary Constituencies would be raised to three so that people residing in the eight Assembly segments of the valley but included in Outer Manipur PC are ensured the right to contest Lok Sabha elections.

On draconian laws, the CPI says that it would urge the Centre to scrap them totally and initiate due process to resolve the State's insurgency issue through political means.

It also promises to urge the Government of India to amend Article 3 of the Constitution by inserting a special clause which would guarantee the territorial integrity of Manipur.

The CPI manifesto says that the party would work to devolve more powers to ADCs.

CPI would make all efforts to deploy highway protect force along NH 37 and NH 2, according to the manifesto.

The party would work to enforce Manipur People Bill and take up necessary measures to neutralise the sense of insecurity felt by Meitei/Meetei community.

CPI would also urge the Government of India to compile a National Register of Citizens for Manipur so as to protect the indigenous communities of the State.

The party would urge the Centre to enact anti-racist law at the earliest in order to check harassment and discrimination of people from North East including Manipur at Delhi and other cities of the country.

One Manipur Bhavan each would be constructed at all State capitals for the convenience of students and people going to different States for medical treatment, mentioned the manifesto.

The party would also urge the authority concerned to implement the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission and provide unemployment allowance to unemployed youth.

In addition, the CPI manifesto also listed a number of programmes which would be taken up for the welfare of youth, students, women and children.

It further listed a number of programmes pertaining to culture, language, literature, agriculture, sports, environment, tourism and industry.

Under the National agenda column, the CPI manifesto listed 25 points which included re-establishment of the Planning Commission in place of NITI Aayog.

It promises to work for reservation of 33 per cent seats for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies and reservation of 33 per cent seats for women members in all National Commissions.

As per the manifesto, CPI would work to ensure that all the culprits of the Manipur University crisis are punished according to law and that there is no undue political interference in MU.

The party would also work to amend the existing Representation of Peoples Act so as to pave way for introduction of proportional representation system, says the election manifesto.

It further vowed that an independent body would be set up which can effectively check undue interference by Government into the functions of press, and safeguard freedom of press.

Representatives of CPI-M, RSP and All India Forward Block were also present at the press meet where the election manifesto was released.