"FIR against MPCC president attempt to gag Oppn"
No 'war on drug lords' yet, says Cong
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 28 2023: A war on drugs is on but it appears that no 'war on drug lords' has been launched yet in Manipur under the BJP-led Government, said Congress' senior spokesperson N Bupenda at Congress Bhavan today.

Accusing the Government of gagging the Opposition's voice, the senior spokesperson said, registration of FIR against MPCC president K Meghachandra and ex-INC candidate Ksh Kennedy shows that Chief Minister N Biren Singh is the 'weakest CM' in the history of Manipur.

Notably, an FIR was registered against Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president K Meghachandra and Ksh Kennedy, ex-candidate of INC (Kakching Assembly Constituency) accusing them of hindering and causing obstruction to the investigation of the recent drug seizure at Kuraopokpi near Pallel in Kakching district.

On January 16, Kakching police had arrested five of its own personnel with drugs worth crores at Kuraopokpi.

Police had recovered 1.336 Kilograms of heroin, 9.151 Kilograms of WY tablets and Rs 80,000 in cash from the possession of the five cops.

"FIR against MPCC president attempt to gag Oppn"

Hours after the arrest of the cops, MPCC president had met Superintendent of Police, Kakching district, Shrey Vats at his office lauding him for the successful drug seizure and urging him to investigate the case swiftly and thoroughly.

Later, the MPCC had also urged the Government that the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) .

At the Congress Bhavan today, senior spokesperson N Bupenda said that the FIR was registered against MPCC president K Meghachandra and Ksh Kennedy after Congress demanded CBI investigation into the case.

The registration of the FIR against the State Congress president who is also an MLA is a clear indication of "scuttling" freedom of speech and expression and freedom of movement by the BJP-led Government, he said.

"This act of the State Government shows that the incumbent Chief Minister is the weakest Chief Minister in the history of Manipur.

The Chief Minister has been scuttling the voice of the Opposition in a democracy by using State machinery," Bupenda said.

He asserted there is "dictatorship style rule" in Manipur and "no democracy" .

Journalists, University and college Professors, bloggers and many young people and common citizens have been pulled up by the State police under the BJP-led regime, and some of them have been slapped with the NSA (National Security Act), he said.

"War against Drugs is going on, but it appears that there is no War against Drug Lords in Manipur under the BJP regime," N Bupenda said.

Most recently a huge consignment of contraband drugs worth crores of rupee were nabbed from the police by the State police, and therefore it would be hard for the Home Department to investigate the case that involved police personnel thoroughly and bring justice, he continued.

In order to bring justice to the case, an independent body like CBI is required for fair investigation, he said.

"The Congress and the people of Manipur will fight to restore the freedom of speech and expression and freedom of movement in Manipur, and we will unitedly fight for democracy and save our people and our State from being converted into a regime of dictatorship," N Bupenda added.