BJP-led Govt violated law from day 1, alleges Ibobi
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 03 2020: Ex-Chief Minister and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Okram Ibobi has categorically stated that the BJP-led coalition Government has been indulging in all kinds of unlawful activities from the very first day of its installation.

Speaking to media persons at Congress Bhavan here today, Ibobi said that not only the BJP-led State Government but also many Union Ministers of the Centre's NDA Government have been committing all kinds of illegal activities.

BJP-led Govt violated law from day 1, alleges Ibobi

Induction of Th Shyamkumar as a Cabinet Minister who was elected on a Congress ticket, presenting BJP caps and shawls to Congress MLAs at BJP office even before they had resigned from Congress party, appointment of a number of Parliamentary Secretaries, the Government's refusal to disqualify the Parliamentary Secretaries in defiance of High Court order etc, are all unlawful activities, Ibobi said.

Both the State Government and the Central Government have been patting themselves.

If a Government receives accolades and appreciation, it should come from the public.

The battle against COVID-19 pandemic should be fought collectively by each and every citizen.

Compared to the National average and the regional average, Manipur is the worst hit State.

The death toll has been ascending rapidly because there was no proper strategy nor any serious attempt to check the pandemic.

In another word, COVID-19 has been taking a heavy toll in the State due to mismanagement, Ibobi asserted.

Quoting experts who pointed out that Manipur would face a very critical situation when a second wave and third wave sweeps through the State, the CLP leader underscored the key necessity for each and every citizen to remain highly alert.

In the meantime, the Chief Minister has been hailing a few individuals as heroes.

It is highly questionable what sacrifices these individuals made for the State to earn such titles, Ibobi said.

Without respecting the people's mandate and without ever consulting the people of respective Assembly segments, some MLAs resigned in pursuit of selfish interests and thus imposed by-election upon the people of their Assembly segments amidst the critical situation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, Ibobi asserted.

He said that he is ashamed of going on election campaign.

Whereas the authorities have been shouting through media asking all people to comply with SOP, maintain social distance and wash hands with soap frequently, people know whether those politicians including the Chief Minister who have been campaigning for the by-election follow SOP and maintain social distance or not.

In the name of election meetings and rallies, people who would otherwise be doing their own works are called out and made to sit shoulder to shoulder.

At the same time, the Government has been asking people to comply with COVID-19 SOP which is quite ludicrous, Ibobi remarked.

People may be silent but they are closely monitoring the Government's performance, how it is run, whether it is free of corruption or not, and how its financial condition is.

"Given the prevailing condition, I am hopeful that people would favour and elect Congress candidates", Ibobi added.

AICC Manipur in-charge Bhakta Charan Das said that both the State Government and the Central Government have started oppressing the country's poor, working class and the youth.

He then appealed to all the people not to vote candidates fielded by BJP.

Maintaining that the Government of Manipur has failed utterly in managing the COVID-19 situation, Bhakta Charan Das said that there is no Health Minister in Manipur even though Health Department should take the central role in combating the pandemic.

There is no indication of the Manipur Government appointing a full-time Health Minister and it only exposes the Government's irresponsibility, he remarked.