Flag hoisting ceremony of Cong candidate Md Azizul Haque Khan held
Cong takes potshots at BJP led Govt
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 01 2020: The flag hoisting ceremony of Congress candidate Md Azizul Haque Khan, who is contesting by-election from 30-Lilong Assembly Constituency was held at his residence of Lilong Lairabakhong today.

Speaking at the event, former Union Minister and AICC in charge of Manipur, Bhakta Charan Das said people should cast their votes for a better change and not give their mandates blindly.

"We must think carefully.

Should we bow our head and just give our vote blindly or should we vote for a better change ? We should acknowledge the value of our vote," he said accusing the Modi Government of curtailing the benefits of the minorities that were there during Congress' time.

Flag hoisting ceremony of Cong candidate Md Azizul Haque Khan held

"The country is strong because of the hard work of our manual labourers.

But these labourers are being treated like slaves by the BJP Government.

I appeal everyone to carefully think who they should vote for.

Our Congress party was, is and will always stay on your side no matter who you give your vote to.

To stand with the weak communities and bring respect and value to their lives is always our motto," he said urging people to cast their votes in favour of the Congress.

MPCC president, Moirangthem Okendro asserted that "religion based disputes have risen since BJP came to power at the Centre.

"Congress never sees religion and so if we let this kind of party that bases itself on one religion come to power again, India as well as Manipur will be torn to pieces, he said citing mob lynching and cow vigilante violence that had happened in parts of India.

"I believe Congress will come to power again in Lilong and in Manipur.

When it does happen, I promise to everyone present here as president of MPCC that we will remove the disdain shown to minorities by the present Government", he said.

MLA Kangujam Ranjit Singh asserted that Md Nasir is contesting the by-election as an Independent candidate because he is from a minority community.

"Md Nasir went to Delhi with 5 other former Congress MLAs to join BJP.

However, BJP rejected him because he belongs to minority.

Returning to Imphal, nowhere to go, he is contesting the by- election as an Independent candidate with auto-rickshaw symbol," he claimed.

Lilong is a Constituency having a huge minority population.

The place has produced many well-known figures including former Chief Minister Md Alimuddin.

It was during the Congress regime that the university was upgraded to a Central university in 2005, he said.

The MLA, however, asserted that the varsity which has become an indispensable part of shaping the lives of youths and the future of Manipur was recently 'tainted' by former Vice Chancellor, AP Pandey.

He had turned the varsity into a "BJP training ground".

"When the students raised their voice against him, Chief Minister Biren went to meet Union HRD Minister Prakash Javedekar and the Union Minister told our Chief Minister not to remove him.

Instead of fighting to remove the then VC, he used the security forces and raided the sacred grounds of the university that was home to our children and their teachers.

Even in the war between countries; hospitals and schools are not attacked or bombarded but this Government used tear gas shells during the wee hours and terrorized our children and Professors.

The blood shed from the students and the teachers, putting handcuffs on them and putting them behind bars happened in the University.

Is that the achievement of BJP Government? I want to ask this to our CM," K Ranjit said.

INC candidate Md Azizul Haque, K Ranjit said, is someone "very capable" of leading Lilong AC.

"He is a very well educated, humble and a retired Chief Engineer of Manipur.

He is someone who knows the ins and outs of how the Manipur Government works.

This is the person that you should cast your valuable vote for," he said.

MLA Keisham Meghachandra said, "On March 2017, when the BJP Ministers were sworn in to govern the State, they promised to build the Imphal-Jiri Highway road such that even planes can land on it.

But, today we got news that the Irang bridge on the highway had collapsed and a truck fell into the river.

One person went missing and the other has been rescued.

Is this the promise the BJP-led Government has fulfilled over the past 3 years?" he asked.

INC candidate Azizul Haque Khan welcomed the crowd and said he wants to bring changes in Lilong Assembly Constituency.

"I have had a desire to bring some developmental changes in Lilong Kendra.

I approached the Government yet they ignored my interests and since then, I have decided that if I ever get elected, I will try my best to bring positive changes and development," he said.

Ex-MLAs M Prithiviraj, Amin Shah also attended the function.