Manipur News

State campaign on electoral reforms from July 12
IMPHAL, July 7: The present crisis within the Congress party is not only led by hunger for power, but also out of a fear among the Congress MLAs that they would not be able to recover what they have invested during the last elections. It is obvious they want to do this by earning a berth in the State ministry.

This was stated by Dr M Nara this afternoon at a press briefing held at the Irawat Bhawan, BT Road. Nara added that the crisis stems from narrow political interest aimed at self-aggrandizement. This is unfortunate, for it will affect the overall political environment of the State, he said.

Nara alleged that Manipur today is almost like an anarchic state in which the individuals and groups are left to do whatever they please.

The sad part is that the government is nonchalant and doing nothing about it, he said.

Politics has been reduced to a mockery and a profitable business avenue. If the current trend continues, there is little hope for a better future for Manipur, Nara added.

The only way to bring about a change in the present political set up is through an electoral reform, Nara said. The State CPI will start its campaign on electoral reform from July 12 as a part of a nationwide campaign.

Taking jibes on BJP, Nara said political parties like BJP and Congress are corporate funded parties, their policies and programmes are meant to placate the corporates.

He said ever since the BJP has come to power, the prices of the essential commodities have been rising. Prices of Petrolium products, cooking gas, kesrosene and railway fare have increased, giving hardship to the common man, He said.

Nara alleged that BJP was funded by big corporate houses in its recent election campaign. In order to pay off back loans from the corporate houses, the BJP led NDA government in the center has resorted hiking prices of essential commodities, without caring for the common man, he maintained.

He said the BJP was voted to power by the Indian people because the people were fed up with the policies of UPA II. People wanted a change of policies so as to be relieve of the hardship heaped on them by the UPA government. But contrary to this expectation, the NDA government is giving the same hardship to the people by following the same policies as that of the UPA, by appeasing the corporates, Nara added.

On the other hand the corporate sectors are reaping a good harvest ever since the BJP came to power Nara said. This is because parties like BJP make policies to favour the interests of the corporate houses.

 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/congress-making-a-mockery-of-democracy-says-dr-nara/

IMPHAL, July 7: A cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi Singh at his cabinet secretariat approved creation of 41 BDO and 79 specialist doctors.

Briefing media persons after the meeting, Government spokesperson cum CAF&PD Minister, M Okendro, said that of several agendas discussed during the meeting two agendas were deferred.

Elaborating on agendas which could be successfully concluded, he revealed that the meeting approved post creation of 41 BDO posts in the RD and PR department to ensure the smooth execution of various flagship programmes started by the UPA Government, mainly MGNREGS. The post creation will ease the burden upon the SDOs who are also given charge of BDOs, he added.

The Minister further informed that the cabinet also gave approval for recruitment of 79 specialist doctors to accommodate required man power (need base) in 7 district hospitals under the State Government which included 5 in the hills and 2 in the valley. The recruitment process would be initiated under the Manipur Health Services Rules, Grade-II through MPSC.

He continued that to streamline the menace surrounding the Village Defence Force (VDF) all the power vested upon the respected Superintendent of Police of a district would be transferred to Director General of Police besides extending the contract for one more years against the existing one.

Meanwhile, taking serious consideration of the turmoil resulting along the NH-37 due to the imposition of blockade by four students bodies, the spokespersons, appealed to the agitator to call off its movement.

He maintained that the Government is strongly considering the demands of the agitators and the cabinet deliberated upon them during to expedite the assurances made earlier.

 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/cabinet-approves-creation-of-bdos-recruitment-of-doctors/

IMPHAL July 7: The Congress MLAs pushing for reshuffle have decided to wait till the end of budget session after 20 MLAs met the Chief Minister on Monday and will now take part in it, a highly placed source told IFP.

According to the source, around 20 dissident Congress MLAs met Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh at around 10 am, and submitted their demands for reshuffle of the 10 cabinet ministers.

The CM told them that the party high command has been apprised about the matter during his Delhi visit and that he can only take action after the budget session which starts from July 11. The CM also did not reveal which cabinet ministers would be dropped and which MLA inducted, added the source.

A dissident MLA who doesn’t want to be named told IFP that as the CM assured to fulfil their demand of a mid-term reshuffle and they have decided to participate in the budget sessions in the interest of the people.

The MLAs clarified that no memorandum was submitted to the CM during the meeting, they have however kept a draft copy in case government backtracks.

The MLAs confidently said it is crystal-clear there will be a reshuffle after the assembly session, so they will not insist on an MoU.

The dissident MLAs took the decision on the matter in a meeting at the quarters of the Lamlai MLA at around 6 pm after meeting the CM on Monday.

Some Congress MLAs have been pushing for a mid-term reshuffle of the cabinet ministers. CM Ibobi and Dy Chief Minister Gaikhangam went to Delhi on July 1 to apprise the party high command about the MLAs’ demand.

The MLAs are now in the majority as all the parliamentary secretaries and the five MLAs who recently left the MSCP have joined the MLAs demanding the reshuffle.

 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/rebel-cong-mlas-decide-to-wait-for-cms-response-till-end-of-budget-session/

IMPHAL, July 7: The People for Animal has stated that the construction of the diversion bridge at the Mongba Hanba forest is against the Indian forest Act and Supreme Court order passed on December 12, 1996.

The managing trustee of the PFA in a press release has stated that the construction of the diversion bridge will bring immense relief to school students, office goers and overall connectivity between the two districts.

However, it has also caused destruction of forest and natural habitat of the monkeys that have been living in the forest.

The monkeys are now disappearing despite the efforts of zoo staff and PFA volunteers. He further stated that it is necessary to preserve forest in order to save the environment.

He said there has been a communication breakdown between the State government departments, adding that there is need for a joint understanding before taking such important public work.

It is unfortunate the Forest Department has not been consulted on the matter, he said. It is also ironic that the Forest Department is busy celebrating Van Mahotsav instead of saving the forest, the statement said.

He stressed that Mongba Hanba forest is the lung of the Imphal and it is essential for the preservation of environment of the city. Destroying it will only affect the people of the city, said the managing trustee of PFA.

 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/sanjenthong-diversion-violates-forest-act/

JIRIBAM, July 7 (JNN): Atleast five more vehicles plying along the NH-37 Imphal-Jiribam road were reportedly damage by blockade supporters late last night.
The four students’ bodies which included AMSU District Committee, Jiribam, MSF Special Branch, DESAM local Council and KSA Unit, who had imposed the bandh has appealed Railway, BRTF and betel leaf transporters who are defying the blockade its service under security coverage to support the bandh adding that it would construe their (blockade violators) act as anti-people.

Further clarifying on its stance, the students bodies held that they are spearheading their movement for the cause of the student’s community who are the future of the society.

It warned that further violation of the blockade will be responsibility of the violators.

It has been informed that the students’ body has imposed a ban on Kangleipak Counter for defying the blockade adding that the ban will not be lifted until an understanding is brought.

Meanwhile, miscreants set ablaze the office of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, Jiribam Block midnight yesterday.

Sources said that the soon after report the Jiribam Police along with the fire service rushed at the spot and tried their best to douse the fire. However, the attempt turned futile.

It may be mentioned that in similar instance the ZEO, Jiribam office was also set on fire by miscreants. Fortunately, the fire was extinguished with the timely arrival of the fire service and help from the locals.

On the other hand, the All Jiribam Meira Paibee (AJMP), Jiri Ima Meira Paibee Apunba Lup (JIMPAL), Women Association for Civic Action Kangleipak (WACAK) and Jiribam Women Association of Kangleipak (JIMWAK) etc extended their support to the ongoing blockade of the students’ bodies.

 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/blockade-supporters-damage-vehicles-at-nh-37/

IMPHAL, July 7: The Co-ordination Committee, a conglomeration of proscribed underground groups of Manipur has greeted the people of Manipur on its 3rd anniversary. Giving revolutionary salute to its cadres who have laid down their lives fighting for Manipur in the revolutionary movement, a statement signed by the convener of the group Khundongbam Pamei has stated that the heart of revolutionary movement in Manipur is CorCom, which will in due course become the ‘sole representative’ of Manipuri people.

Formation of CorCom, which consisted of seven (UPPK thrown out after its surrender to the enemy) namely KCP, KYKL, PREPAK, PREPAK (Pro), RPF, UNLF, and was necessitated by the peoples’ voice which had demanded for a united struggle against Indian colonialism, which also hinges on the idea of building a united strength of all communities in Manipur and the WESEA region, the statement said.

Its historic formation was a commendable step in the revolutionary movement of Manipur and WESEA, by learning together from the mistakes of the past and the present and for building a stronger foundation, it said.

Its first task is to drive away the IOF by the joint effort of the revolutionary groups, and to build unity among the people of Manipur. Secondly, it is to wage a joint war against India with like-minded groups of the WESEA region added the statement. It has been practiced in other parts of the world to wage war jointly among the like-minded groups in world revolutionary history, it said.

After three years of its formation, various sub-committees have been formed. They are: Home Committees, Regional Affairs Committees, External Affairs Committee, Publicity Committee, Base Area Committee, Financial Affairs Committee and Joint Fighting Force, which functions under the Joint Military Commission, maintained the statement.

The statement further said that the JFF under the leadership of JMC will be able to forge a new chapter in the freedom struggle of Manipur and WESEA region.

The need for a joint struggle with other forces operating in the WESEA region has been necessitated by the fact that we are all under the same yoke of Indian colonialism, and this is also true that the people of WESIA are from the same stock, having close cultural affinities. Thus there has been an ever rising need for depending on one another in order to come out of the colonial yoke, it said.

These three years of joint struggle have been productive because of the committed cadres who are relentlessly and selflessly fighting for the cause of independence and moreover it because of the love and corporation of the people of Manipur. The Committee is therefore grateful and conveys its revolutionary salute to the people, said the statement.

 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/the-heart-of-revolutionary-movement-in-manipur-is-corcom/

IMPHAL, July 7: Deputy Chief Mister Gaikhangam visited Shija Research Hospital on Monday to meet the Editor of the English edition of Sangai Express who has been hospitalised since July 3 after meeting a road accident.

Speaking to media persons after meeting the Editor, the Dy CM stated that he will urge the CM to take-up positive steps for the welfare of media persons in the State.

He further said that he highlighted some of the issues of the State during his recent visit to Delhi. He met Sonia Gandhi after attending a party meeting chaired by senior Congress leader AK Anthony.

During the meeting with Sonia Gandhi, he said the demand of a midterm cabinet reshuffle in the state by some MLAs was raised to her, adding that the party is not against any one raising their voice to be heard.

Gaikhangam appealed to all the MLAs of the state to not cause any problem and to not do anything to risk losing the confidence of the people.

The CM will solve the problem of the State by using his wisdom, he added.

The Manipur government wants a stable government which requires the collective understanding of all Congress legislators to strive towards creating a peaceful and developed state, he said, adding that it is unfortunate that even when such an issue occurs the opposition is silent.

 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/dy-cm-for-scribes-welfare/

IMPHAL, July 7: Elangbam Dhiren and his first wife Bidyaluxmi who surrendered before the police regarding the mysterious death of his second wife Seram (N) Elangbam (o) Sushila Devi and her infant, on the night of the incident, were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Imphal west today. The two were produced before court today noon from the custody of Imphal Police station regarding the case of mysterious death of four month pregnant woman and her infant child on July 1 at Keishamthong Elangbem Leikai. However, the police have taken further custody of the husband and wife till July 14.

It may be mention that Sushila was found death hanging inside her bed room along with her infant child lying dead next to her in a bed on 1 july at around 3.30 pm at her house.

Family members of Sushila suspected foul play regarding the death and had dismantled some portion of house but arrival of the police had saved the house from further destruction.

 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/couple-produced-before-court/

BISHNUPUR, July 7: Yumnam Lanthoiba alias Nganthoi, 28, son of Y Deven of Oinam Yumnam Leikai, the prime suspect in the killing of Nongthonbam Raghuchand alias Rishi, 31, son of Ibomcha has been remanded to 5 days police custody today.

Lanthoiba was produced before Judicial Magistrate first class Bishnupur, Lamkhanpou Tonsing this afternoon around 3.30pm. Earlier the court remanded the suspect to seven days in police custody on July 1 which expired today.

Meanwhile, around 50 women comprising of JAC and family members of the deceased gathered outside the court complex since 10 am displaying banners saying, “We strongly condemned the cold blooded murder of Raghuchand,” besides chanting slogans.

The suspect was escorted inside the court complex under heavy security.

It may be recalled that Nongthonbam Raghuchand was found dead near the Leimaram Wakching Turel Dam on June 29. The next day Lanthoiba was booked by the police.

 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/prime-suspect-remanded-police-custody/