Actor Kaiku quits BJP over turmoil, students' killing
Source: Chronicle News Service / Waari Singbul Network
Imphal, September 28 2023:
Displeased with what he termed as the government's inapt handling of the present turmoil besieging Manipur as well as the inhuman murder of two young students, celebrated Manipuri film actor Rajkumar Kaiku alias Somendra has resigned from the primary membership of the BJP.
Kaiku, who has acted in over 400 films, including two Kuki movies, submitted his resignation letter to the leadership of the party's state unit on Wednesday afternoon even as its top leaders requested him to reconsider his stance.
A resident of Thangmeiband in Imphal West district, Kaiku contested the last Lok Sabha polls as an independent candidate in 2019 and later joined BJP in November 2021.Being a celebrated film personality, Kaiku garnered huge crowds for the saffron party during canvassing in the last state assembly polls held in March last year and the party won absolute majority in crucial polls by grabbing 32 seats in the 60-member house.
Talking to Waari Singbul, Kaiku said, "My priority is public first and party second for which I applied my mind to incline with the public in these hard times".
"It is disheartening to notice that the government is yet to take up proactive measures to resolve the unceasing public disorder besetting the state more than four months now," said Kaiku.
"To be honest, I joined BJP thinking that the party would bring a significant change in our state with its double engine government.
Of course, it brought changes in different sectors like tourism under CM N Biren Singh.
With this in mind, I thought the central leaders would act swiftly over the ongoing issue and put to an end to the conflict and trusted them.
But, the central leaders seems like paying no attention to the pain and misery of.the people and they were against every expectation of the people," he said.
"So, I thought we shouldn't stay silent but voice out against this ignorance.
There are rules if we work under a political party and we can't just do things at our own will.
So, I thought it would be better to leave the party and join the movement of the people".
"There is also a saying that it is the public first, party second.
So I thought it is better to prioritise peace and join the people's movement," Kaiku added.
Stating that the prevailing turmoil has dampened the pace of development Manipur has witnessed in the last few years, Kaiku appealed all sections of society to bring an everlasting solution to the present crisis.
Kaiku who has many Chin-Kuki friends chose to appeal to them to realise the sinister game of the vested interest and come out to work for bringing peace and normalcy to the restive Manipur.
"I've so many Kuki friends in Saikul, Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, to be honest.
I think they have also realised the background of the issue and not all of them are actively taking part in the conflict.
They must have also realised that it is a sinister game of a few.
So I appeal to them to understand the situation and act together towards bringing back peace by stopping all kinds of hatred and demanding of separate administration.