Why defend the 10 Kuki MLAs : Cong
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 26 2023: The Opposition Congress has questioned the BJP's determination to defend the 10 MLAs including 7 from the BJP at all costs and under all circumstances even though the MLAs are openly demanding disintegration of Manipur.

Speaking to media persons at Congress Bhavan here today, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) working president Kh Devabrata said that the Congress party has no intention to engage in any form of political mudslinging at a time when all sections of people have been suffering extreme misery on account of the protracted violent crisis.

But it is a matter of grave concern that BJP which is in power both in the State and at the Centre has been making repeated attempts to blame the Congress party for the protracted crisis, just to cover up their weaknesses and failures, Devabrata said.

He said that the BJP has been making all kinds of wild allegations and false statements to cover up their misgovernance.

Even though the Opposition Congress party has been offering many practical solutions to bring a solution to the protracted crisis, the Government has been paying no heed, he decried.

To a query raised by media persons at Khuman Lampak Youth Hostel yesterday, BJP president A Sharda contended that no BJP MLAs/Ministers are demanding separate administration from Manipur and the BJP MLAs belonging to the Kuki community have nothing to do with the demand for separate administration, the MPCC working president cited while dubbing the particular statement of the BJP Manipur Pradesh president as most unfortunate.

Sharda's statement sounds like BJP supports the Kuki MLAs' demand to disintegrate Manipur, he asserted.

In her attempt to brush aside the queries raised by reporters, the BJP Manipur Pradesh president claimed that Congress party was responsible for the current Manipur crisis apart from blaming the previous Congress Government for relocating some villages of Imphal West from Gram Panchayat to Autonomous District Council (ADC) and renaming Thangjing with Thangting.

A process was initiated to rename Thangjing as Thangting but the same process was rolled back in 2014 itself following public protest, Devabrata said.

Some villages under Gram Panchayat were relocated to ADC as per a report of the District Council Delimitation Committee which was formed in 2008.An observation given by the High Court of Manipur on a PIL filed by one Ram Bahadur stands testimony to this fact, he asserted.

BJP's attempt to confuse the public by indulging in false and unfounded propaganda would not bear fruit.

BJP should shed its misplaced notion that the people of Manipur are fools and they would accept whatever BJP says, Devabrata said.

It is an undeniable fact that BJP is responsible for the current crisis in Manipur, he asserted.

He asked how long the IDPs must suffer in relief camps.

He further asked the BJP Manipur Pradesh president to explain what she meant when claiming that the 10 Kukis MLAs were not demanding separate administration from Manipur.

Devabrata then accused A Sharda of defending and protecting the 10 MLAs including 7 from the BJP who were determined to fragment Manipur.

He went on to ask if BJP has any fear of losing the seat of power if the 10 Kuki MLAs are disqualified.

The MPCC working president urged BJP to take up tangible action against the culpable Kuki MLAs/Ministers.

MPCC vice-president (organisation) L Tilotama and MPCC senior spokesman Ningombam Bhupenda Meitei were also present at the press meet.

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