Imphal, February 21 (MExN): The Zeliangrong Youth Front (ZYF) has come down strongly against Deputy Chief Minister of Manipur, Gaikhangam Gangmei. In a press statement issued by ZYF General Secretary, David Kamei, the organisation stated that the Dy. CM has “failed” to understand the meaning of “equal development.”
According to the ZYF, Gaikhangam’s statement that “bandh and blockade are not just hindering development but it is disrupting peace” shows “his own weaknesses to understand the reality.”
“It is the State Govt that compelled the people to resort to bandh and blockade only when their share are deprived and ignored,” alleged the ZYF.
It also informed that the Zeliangrong Youth Front has “shut down” government offices in Tamenglong district since February 17 till February 22 in protest against the State Government’s “anti development policies,” for which they held Gaikhangam “accountable.”
The ZYF has submitted a Memorandum to Chief Minister of Manipur on January 24, 2016, demanding for relocation of Office of the Deputy Commissioner and other district level Allied Offices at the District Secretariat within fifteen days time. They informed that the District Secretariat was already inaugurated on November 3, 2011 by P.Chidambaram, the then Union Home Minister as Chief Guest, O. Ibobi Singh, the Chief Minister of Manipur as Guest of Honor with Gaikhangam also present with several Ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats.
The Central Government has sanctioned “hundreds and thousands of crores of rupees” for the development of people of Tamenglong district which people are “fully aware” of but the State Govt. “in collusion with few selected contractors has shared among themselves without any durable development assets being created at the district of which the Tamenglong District Secretariat is one glaring example.”
The ZYF further noted that “robbing away” development funds sanctioned by the Central Govt. without fulfilling the intended objective and purposes cannot be called “development” but a “deprivation” of people’s rightful shares.
“The people of Tamenglong district have been suffering for the last many years due to State Government negligence and ill treatment towards the people of the district,” asserted the ZYF. The State Government’s popular slogan “equal development” is “suited only for valley districts.”
While extending their congratulations to all the representatives who are elected from the valley districts for “fulfilling and materializing” the interest of the valley people they represent, the ZYF reiterated that the Dy. CM of Manipur should wake up from “slumber” and recognise this.
In protest against the State Government’s “anti development” policies for Tamenglong, the ZYF stated that it will continue banning of National and International Projects from executing works till a concrete assurance comes from the State Government for “relocation and make operational” of the Tamenglong District Secretariat.
It also informed that different modes of democratic agitation in addition to the ongoing agitation such as indefinite blockade of National Highway No. 37 will be follow soon.
