Imphal, October 03: To the academic circle of Manipur and eminent personalities such as MK Priyobarta, MK Binodini and Gangmumei Kamei, BK Roy Burman will need no introduction, but to the common people, here is a man whose heart beats for Manipur and who is here today to share solidarity with the people, who have had to bear the excesses of the security personnel under the immunity granted by the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

Eighty four years old but with a memory as sharp as razor, the bespectacled man, told The Sangai Express during an exclusive chat this evening, "I have come here on my own.

I would have come earlier but for my commitments at other places including foreign countries.

Moreover I could not get a confirmed flight ticket before October 3." Incidentally Roy arrived today and Prof Gangmumei Kamei, who has known him for years, is the gracious host.

So what is an academician, or rather a social scientist, doing here and why? He is here to lend solidarity to the people who are demanding the revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

Ask him about the rationale of continuing with the Act in the State and he has a ready answer.

"Under no circumstances can this draconian law solve anything.

It is against the very ethos of the freedom struggle launched under Mahatma Gandhi," he said.

In fact, as way back as 1995, Roy as the Chairman of the Social Policy Advisory Committee instituted by the State Government, had strongly recommended that the AFSPA should go.

The matter was presented in the Assembly, he recalled and it was suggested that the same be re-examined.

BK Roy also recounted that he met the then Union Home Minister Indrajit Gupta of the CPI (M) and pressed for the withdrawal of the Act, but the Home Minister was non-committal.

His frail frame sits lightly on his 84 years old shoulders, but Roy plans to walk on foot to Kakching, Thoubal, Moirang and other places and meet the people personally.

Not sparing the Centre, Roy said that Delhi did not show any prudence in dealing with the matter.

"When the women protested in the nude in front of Kangla, it was motherhood that was condemning the action of the security force," he said and added, "The Centre failed to see the symbolic significance of the protest".

Apart from the padyatra, the octogenarian also plans to meet representatives of the Apunba Lup.

He is also scheduled to visit the house of Th Manorama tomorrow morning followed by a floral tribute at Kekrupat.

On the present agitation, Roy has a word of advice.

"Nothing should be done to further alienate the people.

Support of all the democratic forces should be sought".

Recalling an interesting anecdote, Roy said that during his student days, he participated in the Quit India Movement.

"One day we discussed on how we should treat the Britishers if they happen to fall into our hands.

Our stand was clear.

Our fight was against the British colonial rule and not against any individual Brit." This is the message the people should take note of, he added.

As Roy put it, his tie Manipur dates back to the 1930s when he shared a room with the late former MP, Laishram Achou at Kolkata during his student days.

Achou was also incidentally his class mate.

"I heard about the Nupi Lans during my student days," he said adding that since the 70s he has been associated with the people of the State in one way or the other.

Roy would like to meet the political leaders of the State but only after, "I undertake my journey on foot to many places".

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