SSUM to look into graft slur against RIMS
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 24 2023: In the midst of on-going efforts to recover from the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Meetei community in Manipur faced an attack from Kuki narco-terrorists on May 3, intensifying the state s challenges.

While the community remained resilient and worked striving to navigate through the adversities, allegations of corruption and illicit activities are casting a huge shadow over these efforts, stated Socialist Students' Union of Manipur (SSUM) president S Yaima.

In a press meet held at SSUM office near Lalambung Makhong on Sunday, Yaima highlighted the prevalence of corrupt practices and tales of the same spreading like wildfire in every locality of the state amidst Prime Minister Narendra Modi's anti-corruption rhetoric.

As such, he urged that people should not to take the matter lightly especially amidst the conflict.

Disclosing SSUM's intent to investigate alleged corruption within RIMS starting from the following Sunday, he informed that the student body plans to formally request the Prime Minister and the union minister to investigate suspected cases of corruption.

Yaima then stressed SSUM's commitment as a democratic pressure group to advocate for justice and assured to uphold its responsibility of ensuring stringent legal consequences for any RIMS official found involved in corrupt activities.

Yaima further announced that SSUM will be organising a large-scale public meeting against corruption in the first week of 2024 and as such, appealed to the people to extend their support in eradicating corruption from society and the state.

He then encouraged individuals possessing evidence of corrupt practices in RIMS to come forward, while underscoring the detrimental impact of corruption on the future of students.

Meanwhile, the recent seizures of illegal substances by Meira Paibi in Takhel village, Imphal East, pointed to the involvement of influential figures in drug smuggling amid the on-going conflict, as was found during SSUM's investigation.

The owner of a brick farm, who had hidden the huge quantities of IMFL, had connections to someone within the ruling government, a recurrent pattern observed in previous incidents involving relatives of elected representatives engaged in unlawful activities, he added.

Reiterating the call to combat corruption, Yaima emphasised the critical need to curb drug and illegal substance trade for the sake of nurturing a healthy and capable future generation in society.

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