IMPHAL, September 19: High ranking officials and rich people receive all the benefits given to the State by the Union government but poor people have to endure hardships the most during times of difficulties, stated Professor Dr Chinglen Maisnam of the Department of Economics, Manipur University during a protest meeting (Wakat Mifam) today at the Irabot Bhawan in connection with the 118th Irabot Day.
The government is never prepared to meet challenges during a crisis but acts on behalf of rich people who end up taking all the benefits in the name of poor people, he said at the meeting organised by the All India Trade Union Congress, Manipur.
The government is not bothered about delving into the root causes of issues and its fundamental problems, he adds.
Commenting on the different pay scales for VDF and police personnel, Dr Maisnam said VDF personnel are working full time but are paid less than police personnel.
If their pay scale is not increased, domestic violence and crime against the women will happen as they can’t meet their daily requirements with the meagre salaries they receive, he adds.
On the issue of privatization of various departments, he said if departments are privatised than middle class families and lower class families are going to suffer the most.
Meanwhile, L Sotinkumar, general secretary of All India Trade Union Congress, Manipur said the day’s meeting was to discuss the six demands which were important for the people and various associations and AITUC, Manipur will continue to struggle until the demands were met.
The Congress government has ruled the country for more than 50 years and it promotes globalization and privatization, he adds.
The current dispensation at the Centre maintains that they will cleanse the system with good governance but bad governance continues, L Sotinkumar said.
Talking about the ILP, he said the issue is most important in our State because non-local people are soon going to outnumber the indigenous people of the State.
Pointing out that the highways in the State have become places of assault by NSCN-IM cadres who targeted the buses and the trucks plying along regularly, he said NSCN (IM) cadres rob trucks and demand ransom for abducted drivers and kill them and destroy their trucks if ransoms are not given. A highway security force is important for the trucks and buses, he adds.
He also said that delegates of AITUC, Manipur are meeting the Prime minister and the Home Minister in October to put demands in various matters which are important for our State.
The various unions and associations must come together to be powerful and become the “Arms of the Workers”, he added.
In today’s protest meeting, Trade Union Coordinating Body Manipur secretary Ksh Santa; secretary of TUCC, Manipur, Khomdram Gyaneshwar; All Manipur Road Transport Motors Workers Union H Kulamani and others also spoke on various other issues.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/rich-people-receive-all-sops-meant-for-poor-people-claims-professor-dr-chinglen-maisnam/