Bid to storm Manipur Assembly foiled
IMPHAL, September 5 (NNN):Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh today told the state assembly that his government "is committed" to passing a tough bill to safeguard the interests of all indigenous people but "the government needs consensus finding approaches after which it will consider passing the Draft Bill in a special assembly session."
The Chief Minister’s statement came amid mounting protest by the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) calling for tabling and passing of a new ILP related bill in the assembly of poll-bound Manipur. Hundreds of pro-ILP protesters gathered in the vicinity of the assembly building and tried to storm it.
A large number of slogan-shouting students and women volunteers of JCILPS Women Wing attempted to storm the assembly violating curfew but the police foiled the bid. Manipur Police made special security arrangements to deal with protesters on the last day of the House session.
Curfew was imposed by the government in and around the state assembly complex on Monday in view of the announcement by the state unit of BJP to storm the assembly over the police constable recruitment controversy and also mounting demand for passing of a new bill to protect indigenous people by the JCILPS.
Besides imposition of curfew by Imphal East and Imphal West District Magistrates within 1 km radius of the assembly complex at Chingmeirong with effect from last midnight till the end of the House session, the government declared holiday for all educational institutes as a precautionary measure.
“All pros and cons of the Draft Bill furnished to the government by JCILPS have to be considered. The government needs consensus finding approaches after which it will consider passing the Draft Bill in a special assembly session,” CM Ibobi assured the House while clearing his government’s stand on the ILP issue.
He informed the House that only 89 individuals submitted their opinions on the government prepared Draft Bill till August 24 deadline. Ibobi was apparently trying to convince the House that the Joint Committee belatedly submitted its Draft to the government which was facing time constraints in the assembly held with only two sittings.
The Manipur Chief Minister added that the government’s earlier decision to table its proposed bill in the House was cancelled after Joint Committee preferred a Draft Bill on which the government will certainly take opinions from all stakeholders.
He referred to the widespread tribal protests and the subsequent Churachandpur violence which killed nine protesters by security forces following passing of three ILP related bills in the assembly in August last year and said the President rejected one of the bills in the backdrop of the ‘unprecedented incident.’
Ibobi also remarked about the bodies of the nine protesters still lying unburied in Churachandpur district hospital where tribal people staged strong protest against the government bills which they dubbed as ‘anti-tribal.’
2 BJP workers hurt in police action
IMPHAL, September 5 (NNN): Two BJP workers were injured as cops fired tear gas shells in a bid to disperse hundreds of party workers who were attempting to disrupt assembly session here on Monday over the police constable recruitment controversy.
Manipur government recently dropped results of selection tests of 2013 for recruiting 2000 constables. The state unit of BJP wants the government withdraw the cancellation order staging protest since then.
The party has said the ongoing fresh cop recruitment rally should be cancelled. Curfew was imposed in 1 km radius of the assembly complex at Chingmeirong by the government after the party threatened to disrupt the House session in pursuit of the demand.
Five BJP workers on September 2 sustained injuries in police action inside Manipur Police Training College, Pangei as they protested against the government decision holding fresh police recruitment rally.
Today, state BJP workers led by its president Kshetrimayum Bhabananda and other groups from several party mandals, including Uripok BJP Mandal led by former DGP of Manipur, Yumnam Joykumar Singh, tried to storm the assembly building openly violating curfew.
Large number police personnel were deployed at all vulnerable points in the vicinity of the assembly complex. They blocked roads and fired tear gas shells to quell the protesters when two workers of BJP were hit by shells at Khoyathong.
The injured were taken to Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS). The state BJP vowed to continue their agitation over the issue.
Party president Kshetrimayum Bhabananda condemned the government for imposing curfew. He said, “Curfew for conducting House session is a very ‘complicated matter.”
“Honestly saying we simply want the government to have a serious discussion on the constable recruitment issue in the House.” He said. The BJP protesters shouted several slogans against the government.
They shouted “Down to Congress government,” “Home Minister Gaikhangam should resign on moral grounds” and “We don’t want anti-people government any more.”
Bhabananda alleged that the Congress government headed by Okram Ibobni Singh has ruined lives of 2000 youths and vowed to carry on agitation until the government fulfills the demand.
Sticking to earlier stand of the government, Home Minister Gaikhangam today reiterated in the House that ‘gross irregularities’ in the selection tests of constables held in 2013 for recruiting 2000 constables had led to the cancellation of the results.
Gaikhangam clarified the matter while replying a call attention motion raised by BJP MLA Thongam Biswajit Singh in the House. Biswajit said the cancellation of the tests has harmed the prospects of the youths of getting the job.
The Home Minister, who is also holding the post of Deputy Chief Minister, admitted lapses in the selection tests which he said had totally failed to follow the proper guidelines.
