BJP a threat to secularism : Dy CM
Source: The Sangai Express

Bishnupur, December 11 2015 : Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam who is also the president of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee has asserted that the identity of India as a secular country is being challenged today after 70 years of independence.

Speaking at the Youth Congress Conference organised by Bishnupur district Youth Congress Committee at Bishnupur Kiyamba Ningshing Shanglen today on the theme 'Secularism, the force behind India', Gaikhangam said that Congress is a political party that does not discriminate on grounds of race and religion.

Dwelling on the theme of secularism, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the Congress was established with an aim to ensure equal rights and opportunities to all the citizens and underlined the point that it does not discriminate on grounds of race and religion.

Charging the BJP of being a threat to Indian democracy and secularism, he alleged that it is a sectarian and racist party.

BJP is ignorant about the ideas and concept of secularism and this is testified by the ban imposed on beef consumption by the BJP-led NDA Government, added Gaikhangam.

People have now started realising the true colour of BJP.

Even as the BJP made tall promises before the last Lok Sabha election such as abolition of corruption, bringing back black money from foreign banks, checking inflation etc, it is still unable to fulfil any of these promises although the Government is more then 18 months old now, the MPCC president added.

Hiking railway fare by 14 percent soon after taking power only indicated that the BJP led Government has little empathy for the masses.

What the BJP Government did was renaming existing schemes and programmes.

Following the conceptualisation of India's Look East Policy, Manipur has been transformed into a valuable asset for the whole country.

The State would soon see trade and commerce activities on a much bigger scale.

To capitalise on this new found opportunity, the people of Manipur need to be well prepared and well educated, added the Dy CM.

He also appealed to the people to elect all Congress candidates in the forthcoming election to Municipal councils and Nagar Panchayats.

In his presidential speech, Commerce and Industries Minister Govindas Konthoujam compared Bishnupur district to a miniature India.

The district is home to several ethnic groups which have their own distinct traditions and customs, he added.

Claiming that all the ethnic groups settled in Bishnupur district have been living in complete harmony, Govindas asserted that peace would reign the whole State if all the people emulate the district.

Gaikhangam, Govinda, MPCC vice-president T Mangibabu Singh, Parliamentary Secretary, YAS and Tourism M Prithiviraj Singh and the Kumbi A/C MLA S Bira attended the conference as chief guest, president and guests of honour respectively.

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