Newmai News Network LAMKA | MAY 24 The mortal remains of the eight persons, out of the nine who died during the agitation against the three controversial Manipur Bills in 2015 in Churachandpur district. were laid to rest today after 632 days. Thousands gathered at the Hiangtam Lamka Public Ground in Churachandpur where a public service was held before the bodies were finally laid to rest at a Memorial Ground at Mata Khuga Dam, Lamka, Churachandpur. This burial of the eight bodies came following the signing of a 9-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the State Government of Manipur and the Joint Action Committee Against Anti Tribal Bills (JAC-AATB) at Mizo People Convention Office, Churachandpur in South Manipur on May 10. On August 31, 2015, the Manipur Assembly had passed the three highly contentious land bills which the tribal people termed as ‘anti-tribal.” Nine protesters were killed and many injured when violence broke in Churachandpur district following passing of the bills. Of the nine bodies, eight were lying unclaimed in the Churachandpur District Hospital mortuary till this morning. The public funeral was attended, among others, by Public Works, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Commerce and Industries, Power, Information and Public Relations, Administrative Reforms and Training Minister Thongam Biswajit; Social Welfare and Cooperation Minister Nemcha Kipgen; PHE Minister Losii Dikho, Agriculture and Veterinary & Animal Husbandry Minister V Hangkhanlian; and Manipur Chief Secretary, Oinam Nabakishore. Addressing the gathering, Thongam Biswajit said, it is of "immense pleasure for the present government that today we are able to bring an amicable understanding to all past mistakes through a concerted efforts of the people and government and that the last rites are performed". "Past governments may have acted in the best of interest, however, what is good or bad is to be decided by the people," he pointed out adding that the present government will act to deliver the people from all their grievances. The government will visit all the districts of the State and look into the grievances of the people, Biswajit further maintained expressing firm belief that the relation between the different communities can never be severed. Stating that misunderstandings may come up between the different communities at times, the Minister sought cooperation of all to avoid all such misunderstandings. The present government will never hurt the sentiments or interest of any community and consult all stakeholders while making decisions which could affect the people, he also assured. Further seeking cooperation of all the communities to bring development in the State, Biswajit asserted that different ethnic groups reside in the State in both the hills and the valley and it cannot called a developed State if only the valley is developed while the hills lie neglected or vice-versa. The government is for the people and will certainly bring peace and communal harmony in the State, he added. Agriculture, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Minister V Hangkhalian saluted the sacrifices of nine youths and also expressed grief for those injured in the 2015 agitations. He said let the bloodshed by the youth for the cause of the tribal rights unite us to work together for a better tomorrow.
(With DIPR inputs)