BJP accused of using SoO group to coerce voters
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, February 26 2022: Congress party has charged BJP of using UG organisations under Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact to coerce voters' and secure their victory in Kuki inhabited areas.

Taking serious note of the open statement issued by KNO, an armed organisation under SoO, announcing support to BJP in the ensuing election and serving an ultimatum to the Kuki people to support BJP, AICC election observer Jairam Ramesh has termed the statement of KNO as a blatant violation of the election model code of conduct issued by the Election Commission of India.

He also held the Prime Minister, union home minister and chief minister responsible for using the UG group.

Addressing a press meet at Congress Bhawan on Saturday, Jairam said that the BJP government has failed to take up any significant developmental works in the last-five years and as a result, the party's top leadership incluing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union home minister Amit Shah are coming to carry out poll campaign.

Moreover, the party is now using armed outfits under SoO to intimidate the public to get their votes.

Such tactics is a threat to the democratic rights of the citizen of the country.

Congress party had submitted complaints to the CEO Manipur and ECI in this regard while seeking immediate intervention for resolving the situation.

The primary reason for imposing election model code of conduct is to prevent influencing the electors by the government and decision it takes.

Every political party and organisation must honour this guideline in order to allow the public to freely exercise their democratic rights and choose the right candidate, he said.

He also said that Congress party will fight such interference firmly.

He also called the Prime Minister and the union home minister as flopped leaders, who violate democracy, force their mandate on the public and play politics even in the height of Covid-19 pandemic.

The BJP government in the state is a failed entity, which could not even hold ADC and local body elections, Jairam said, while calling upon the people of the state to support Congress in the ensuing election and bring back good governance and development in the state.

Joining the media briefing, CLP leader Okram Ibobi said that Congress party has full confidence that the public will give their mandate in favour of the party in the first phase election.

The public have already witnessed how the BJP government failed to fulfil the promises it made.

With no options left, they are now using UG organisations under SoO to threaten the public.

Even the union home minister is carrying out house to house campaign and it shows the losing strength of the saffron party, he said.

The only thing that the BJP government did is to mislead the public by trying to show the projects taken up by Congress government as their achievements by organising some programmes like Go to Hills and Go to Village.

The BJP government has also failed to provide wages of MGNREGS beneficiaries not because of fund shortage but as a result of fund mismanagement and misappropriation, he alleged.

Despite making tall claims of improvement in law and order, BJP has not been able to mention anything about the public demand for removal AFSPA from the state.

Both the PM and the home minister said nothing in this regard during their poll campaign in the state.

The BJP government at the Centre also has failed to bring a final solution to the Framework Agreement even after several years.

Regarding the implementation of ILP, Ibobi said that Centre extended the Act to the state after an all-political party delegation met the union home minister when the Central government was trying to enact CAA.

However, the state gov ernment has not been able to frame the ground rules of ILP System till date.

Allowing BJP to rule in the state and at the Centre will put the future of the state and the country into jeopardy and uncertainty, he said.

Responding to a query, Ibobi said that no government will ask its law enforcing agencies to carry out fake encounters.

Even if there were incidents of fake encounter, the law court will take necessary actions against those involved.

Today, investigations are going on following directives of the Supreme Court and some of the accused people have even been acquitted.

He also said that it was Congress government that brought significant improvement in the law and order situation of the state but BJP is claiming the credit.

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