Bodies set condition for Rahul Gandhi's state visit
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, June 28 2023:
While stating that the present crisis in Manipur is a creation of the successive Congress governments owing to their lack of foresight and inability to grasp complexity of history of North East, several organisations stated that the visit of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is not welcomed in the state in case he does not provide answers or apologise for the acts done by the previous government.
A joint release issued by Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS), Manipur Women's Federation (MWF), Universal Mothers' Organisation (UMO) Yelhoumee Kanba Lup (YEMKAL) and a students' union recalled that the Indian
Army entered into suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with constituents of UPF and KNO on August 1, 2005.The then Congress governments at the centre and in the state agreed to formalise it with effect from August 22, 2008 .
Accordingly, the SoO agreements were signed with KNO and UPF giving room to the SoO cadres to use threat and intimidation and interfere in implementation of government schemes besides extortion from government employees and collection of unauthorised tax from non-Kuki communities in Chu rachandpur, the release alleged, while adding that SoO cadres actively promoted settlements in the peripheral areas of Imphal Valley thereby creating a ring of Kuki settlement surrounding the valley, and also in the foothills along the two National Highways.
Assam Rifles also allowed SoO cadres to do as they pleased, in return for information and assistance in tackling Meitei and Naga insurgents, it continued.
Despite signing of formal agreement in 2008, the then Congress government at the centre did not bother to bring the agreement to a logical conclusion by initiating talks and the 15 yeafs of Congress government in the state was no better.
It was only in 2018 when the BJP came to power in Manipur that an interlocutor was appointed to initiate talks with the SoO groups for bringing about a final settlement with the groups, it added.
In 2012, the Congress government in the state deleted four gram panchayats- Koubru-Leikha, Toribari, Kalapahar and Santalabari Parasain, and one Zila Parishad constituency Kan-glatongbi, which Were part and parcel of Imphal West revenue district under Panchayati Raj System but allowed these areas to come under the Kangpokpi Autonomous District Council.
Shortly after this, the Con gress Government also created a new sub division named Thang-ting in Churachandpur on August 25, in the area known since time immemorial as Thangjing.
After the people raised hue and cry the then government further renamed the sub-division as Kangvai on February 19, 2016 .
It is scary, to think why the Congress government removed Panchayati Raj system from parts of Imphal West district and allowed Autonomous District Councils to be set up on these parts, the release enquired, while asking why Thangjing -was changed tolhangting and renamed as Kangvai.
Further, with Kuki settlement along the stretch of National Highway No.2 in Kangpokpi district, the stretch became the favourite weapon of the Kuki CSOs to press demands upon the government by resorting to economic blockades threat at the drop of a hat.
In this situation, the Visit of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is not welcomed in Manipur without an answer for the aforesaid acts, the release continued, while maintaining that the Congress must answer for its fallacies as soon as possible.