Women legislators spurn kinswomen ; None turns up at their reception
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, May 08 2012: Though womenfolk in Manipur have hailed election of three women candidates to the State Assembly this time as 'historic', their joy and happiness was shattered into pieces after none of the three elected women legislators turned up in a reception function hosted solely for them here today.

The reception function was hosted by Women in Governance, Manipur, a networking body of women, at Imphal Hotel here today.

As already decided and fixed, women from all the districts of the state and from all walks of life came with gifts to be presented and convey their best wishes to the three MLAs.

But failure of the three women legislators, namely Social Welfare Minister AK Mirabai, MLA O Landhoni and MLA Nemcha Kipgen of Kangpokpi A/C, to turn up threw cold water on the whole arrangement.

Womenfolk anxiously waiting for the arrival of three women legislators at the reception

The function which was supposed to start by 11 am, but failed to start even after 12 noon as none of the women MLAs turned up.

However, the conference hall of Imphal Hotel was jam packed with people from across the state pouring in with great expectation.

Even media persons waited for three women MLAs anxiously to cover the rare event.

When the wait was taking too long, some of the organisers contacted the women MLAs to hear about their arrival.

However, none of the three women MLAs gave any assurance over their arrival at the reception.

Unhappy over the conduct of the three women legislators, the organisers have asserted that it was an insult on not just the women's organization but also to the entire women community.

Denouncing the attitude of the three women legislators, Nonibal Narengbam, Convenor of Women in Governance said that the organization had earlier met the three women MLAs and fixed the date for hosting the reception function in accordance to their conveniences.

But surprisingly, when contacted following the delay in arrival at the function today, AK Mirabai maintained that there was no schedule of the function in her dairy and it would be impossible for her to come.

As for MLA O Landhoni and MLA Nemcha Kipgen, no contact could be established.

But the failure of the three women MLAs to turn up in the reception was very unfortunate and it would not be taken lightly by the organization, she added.

All hopes that the three women MLAs would work for the welfare of women have been totally crushed down by the attitude they have shown to the women organization today, the organizers said.

All those who were present also condemned the act of the three women MLAs to turn up despite giving their commitment.

Despite the failure of the three women MLAs to turn up, the organizers read out a declaration containing a 21-point charter of demands to the people present.