Haijang chief refutes accusation of expelling villager
Source: Chronicle News Service / Kaimuanthang Mangte

Churachandpur, March 17 2022: Chief of Haijang village, Alun Haolai on Thursday refuted the accusations that a resident, Lhunkhokai alias Kakai, was expelled from the village for supporting the candidate of Kuki People's Alliance (KPA) in the recently held 12th Legislative Assembly Election.

Alun Haolai clarified to media persons that after Kakai had received Rs 20 lakh as land compensation from the government in connection with widening of the existing Tedim road, he was reluctant to reconstruct a new house near the site in the village.

Kakai secretly purchased land near the town area and he unofficially told the village authority that he would relocate once the election was over which he did soon after the election.

His moving out from the village has nothing to do with the just-concluded 12th Legislative Assembly Election.

In fact, all residents of Haijang village had cast their votes freely and democratically, said the Haijang chief.

This issue, however, was made viral on social media to make it appear that Haijang Village Authority ousted Kakai from the village for supporting the KPA, which is baseless, concocted and malicious, Alun Haolai said.

The village chief went on to clarify that Kakai was never expelled as claimed by him for his political support to a particular political party and instead everyone was allowed to cast vote for his/her choice of candidate and there are many voters who had voted KPA due to which the major chunk of votes went to the KPA candidate in his village's polling station.

Being a village chief, he had never resorted to any such undemocratic act of forcing voters nor could he infringe upon someone's right to vote, Alun Haolai claimed, adding that if somebody were to be turned out of the village for voting a particular candidate, then majority of his villagers would need to be expelled which would be a foolish act on his part, Alun said.

He added said that Lhunkhokai (Kakai) is a habitual drinker causing nuisance to the village administration and the church in spite of prohibition of sale of alcohol, cultivation of opium and other illicit activities.

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