JP Nadda Launches Go to Village 2.0 in Bishnupur District
Amidst criticisms against fluttering flags of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and giving speech like election campaign in Manipur Government’s programmes of second edition of Go to Village Mission, BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda launched ‘Go to Village 2.0’ at Ngaikhong Khunou in Manipur’s Bishnupur district with huge fanfare on November 26.
BJP National President JP Nadda is on a two-day visit to chalk out plans for the upcoming Manipur Legislative Assembly elections next year.
The Go to Village Mission, which is an initiative of Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren-led government to ensure delivery of services and benefits of welfare schemes at the people’s doorstep.
Go to Village 2.0 for Bishnupur District was organised by District Administration, Bishnupur and will continue till November 28. Around 68 stalls from 33 departments, including banks, have been set up at the venue to provide services to the district’s people.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Biren said the Go to Village mission was introduced to ensure the benefit of different schemes, taken up under the supervision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, reach its targeted beneficiaries. The programme provides last-mile delivery of various government services, reports added.
He said the Centre has also decided to extend distribution of free ration under the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMKGAY) till March, 2022.
Reports said during the programme, benefits under different welfare schemes including CMHT cards, hearing aids, free ration under PMGKAY, smartphones under Chief Minister’s College Maheiroi e-Support Scheme, LPG connections under Ujjwala scheme, Old Age Pension and Widow Pension scheme among others were distributed to the beneficiaries.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Pratima Bhoumik, works minister Th Biswajit, education minister Sorokhaibam Rajen, agriculture minister Oinam Lukhoi, CAF and PD minister Thokchom Satyabrata, Assam’s Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Ashok Singhal, Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba, MLAs, Pradhans, Members of Zilla Parishads, Administrative Secretaries and other Officials of Government of Manipur attended the programme among others, reports added.
Insurgency Stopped by BJP Claims Nadda
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Jagat Prakash Nadda who is on a two-day visit to chalk out plans for the upcoming Manipur Legislative Assembly elections next year was speaking in a public meeting held on November 26 at Khongjam.
There were years of bloodshed in the streets of Manipur while insurgents were also seen on roads, and there was a government of disintegration, divide and rule but the law and order situation of the state has become better, and the intimacy among the people of hills and valley is also improving with the arrival of the BJP government, BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda claimed.
He further said, during the then Congress rule, there were criminalisation of politics and rule of insurgency but such types of politics and rules have stopped with the coming of Biren-led BJP government. Under the initiatives of the Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren, the law and order situation in the entire state has become better as compared with the previous Congress government. As a result, Nongpok Sekmai police station was awarded the ‘Best Police Station’ in the entire country.
Reports said, the BJP government had been implementing various schemes and policies and with its ‘double engine government’, various developments were brought into the entire state, including hills and valleys. For the construction of 16 national highways, the Central government has sanctioned over Rs 4,000 crore, he said.
“In hill areas of the state, 19 transit accommodations are being set up. There once used to be a government that brought economic blockade, bandh, strike whereas the BJP government brought development and better law and order,” he said.
“In the last five years, the criminalisation of politics has been stopped by our government. We started working in Manipur in 1980, and today we have our first CM from the BJP,” JP Nadda tweeted.
Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren posted on his Facebook page, “Paid rich floral tribute to the brave Manipuris who sacrificed their lives during the Anglo- Manipuri War of 1891 at Khongjom War Memorial along with J.P Nadda Ji, Hon’ble BJP National President. Smt. A Sharda Devi, President BJP Manipur Pradesh, Dr. Sambit Patra Ji, State Prabhari, Shri Ashok Singhal Ji, Election Co-in-charge, Smt. Pratima Bhoumik Ji, Election Co-in-charge, Hon’ble Minister Th. Biswajit Singh and other senior party leaders were also present at the event.”
Imphal West CJM Rejects CBI Fake Encounter Final Report
The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal West on November 22 rejected the final report submitted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the death of Wahengbam Jayenta, who was allegedly shot by police commandos and AR troops on February 6, 2012 near Don Bosco Phayeng.
Reports said the CBI submitted the final report to the court with a prayer for closing the case for want of evidence on the ground that no material substance for conclusion of guilt beyond reasonable doubt was found against the security personnel. The victim’s family had alleged the security personnel of committing extra-judicial killing of Jayenta.
In response to the closure report submitted by the CBI, the victim’s family and EEVFAM as petitioners filed the protest petition with a prayer for rejecting the closure report submitted by the CBI.
The petitioners prayed for further investigation by rejecting the closure report submitted by the investigating officer of the case and for taking cognisance of the offence levelled against the accused persons, reports added.
It may be mentioned that in 2012 the Extrajudicial Execution Victims’ Families Association, Manipur (EEVFAM) and Human Rights Alert (HRA) approached the Supreme Court of India for issuing appropriate orders of setting up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of police officers from outside Manipur to investigate instances of alleged extra-judicial executions and thereafter prosecute the offenders in accordance with law.
The Supreme Court had directed the CBl director to nominate a group of five officers to go through the records of the cases and lodge necessary FIRs and to complete the investigations. Accordingly, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted by the CB1 of the Administrative Division of DSPE, CBI, New Delhi.
Observing the closure report submitted by the CBI, the court observed that mere excuse that the gold ring worn by the deceased was misplaced in the process of shifting the Police Station is not good enough.
“It seems that there was no exchange of fire from both sides; rather, as facts indicate, there was one-sided action from the side of security personnel,” the court stated, concerning the claim made by security personnel.
The court observed that the investigation of the case appears to be incomplete though there are primaries of committing fake encounters by the combined team of CDO Imphal West, a column of 10 Assam Rifles and a team of HQ 9- Sector.
Therefore, the court rejected the final report and took up cognisance for commission of offences U/S 302/34 IPC.
The CBI has been directed by the court to initiate proceedings for taking Prosecution Sanction as per law from the authorities concerned under whom the accused persons namely, inspector (then) P Sanjoy Singh; G Khamzamung; M Khaibiaklun; Ch Dipak Singh; K Brojen Singh; Ksh Sunder Singh; SI (then), Potsangbam Tarunkumar Singh; Chabungbam Sanachaoba Victor; Elangbam Abung Singh; Yenkhom Keshorjit Singh; major Vijay Singh Dhanak; havildar L Kamini Singh; riflemen A Bimal Singh; riflemen GD Sagar Rutkute; riflemen GD Kedokho Yoshu; major (then) N Ranjan Singh are employed/worked/ working, reports added.
Governor and CM to Visit Kuilong Village TML
Tamenglong District administration gears up for Manipur Governor La Ganesan and Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren’s proposed visit to Kuilong Village at Tamei subdivision as a part of an outreach programme in Tamenglong district on December 7.
Reports said, in view of the proposed visit, Tamenglong deputy commissioner H Worshang chaired a meeting at the mini secretariat conference hall, Tamenglong headquarters on November 26. Worshang instructed various departments’ officials present in the meeting to be a part of the outreach programme so that the public can get maximum benefits.
Since Kuilong Village Part I is located at the most interior part of the Tamei subdivision, arrangement of helipad, road connectivity, water supply and toilet arrangement, accommodation for the VIPs were discussed at the meeting. Some of the departments listed out by the DC during the meeting were Horticulture, Fisheries, Handloom and Textiles, Agriculture, Power, Veterinary and Forest department, reports added.
Reports said the DC instructed the government officials to be present in welcoming the new governor of Manipur. Mentioning that the governor will be interacting with the public and civil groups, he also instructed the sub divisional officers of Tamenglong, Tamei and Tousem subdivision to convince the village authorities to deposit arm licensed guns at the earliest.
‘Government Oppressing Public by Using Sedition Laws’
Arrest of many journalists, students and activists since 2014 under sedition charges is a clear example of depriving the rights of the public given by the Indian Constitution, and it shows that the government is oppressing the public by using certain sedition laws, alleged State Secretary of CPI, Manipur L Sotinkumar on November 26.
He said this delivering his speech during the launch of an 11-day nationwide mass campaign against ‘communal politics played by the BJP-led government’ at the Irawat Bhawan in Imphal West.
Reports said the 11-day long campaign was organised with the agenda to spread awareness to the public for safeguarding the Constitution, secularism and federalism and inform the public about the “Hindutva agenda, anti-people, economic policies and communalism of the Modi-led government.”
The agenda also includes unity and integrity of Manipur and protection of the traditional boundary of Manipur, he added.
Recalling the “forced implementation of CAA”, the protest against the three farm bills, he said it clearly reflects BJP’s ideology of “communalism and pro-corporate government.”
The BJP-led government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a government which runs for the welfare of only the corporate by sidelining all the grievances of the majority of the populace of the country, and remains busy in privatising government sectors, he further alleged.
Considering all these facts and the true colour of the BJP-led government, the public must choose their leader who will truly work with dedication for the well- being of all the classes in the society in the upcoming election, he asserted.
He also informed that the campaign will continue at local levels in all the districts to make the public aware about the “anti-people” ideology of the BJP led government.
The programme was also attended by CPI national executive member Dr M Nara and other leaders of CPI Manipur state unit.
Amit Shah Lays Foundation Stone of Rani Gaidinliu Museum
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on November 22 laid a foundation stone of Rani Gaidinliu Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum at City Convention Centre in Imphal through video conferencing.
Reports said the museum will be constructed at Luangkao village in Manipur’s Tamenglong district, the birthplace of renowned tribal woman freedom fighter Rani Gaidinliu. The project has been sanctioned by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs at an estimated amount of Rs 15 crore. According to the tribal affairs ministry, the foundation stone for the museum was laid as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav week, which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 15 as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas.
Speaking through video conferencing on the occasion, the Union Home Minister said, “Rani Gaidinliu was born on January 26, 1915, at Luangkao village, in Tousem Sub-Division under Tamenglong District, Manipur. At the age of 13, Gaidinliu was associated with Jadonang and became his lieutenant in his social, religious and political movement. After the execution of Jadonang, Gaidinliu took up the leadership of the movement.”
During the foundation laying ceremony, Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda, cabinet ministers and other dignitaries were also present, reports added.
MPCC Seeks Disqualification of 2 MLAs
Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on November 22 submitted an application for filing a case against MLAs of Sagolband Assembly Constituency RK Imo and Saikul Assembly Constituency Yamthong Haokip to the Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly so that they may be disqualified under 10th Schedule of Indian Constitution.
Speaking to the media, MPCC General Secretary S Jeeten said that the MPCC has filed the case by praying for the disqualification of two MLAs who had left the Indian National Congress (INC) on November 8.
Reports said the application was submitted before the Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly through his private secretary.
The two MLAs, namely RK Imo and Yamthong Haokip had left INC on November 8. As per the application, they are to be disqualified under the 10th Schedule of Indian Constitution and article 199 of Indian Constitution.
NPP to Fight for Indigenous Communities
National President National People’s Party (NPP), Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has given the assurance to prioritise protection of indigenous cultural identity of Manipur as one of the agenda of the party.
Sangma, who arrived in Imphal on November 22, stated this during the launching of election campaign for NPP held at Athletic Brother’s Association (ABA) Ground, Kshetri Mayai Leikai, Kshetrigao, Imphal East. He said that NPP is different from other national party as being a regional party of Northeast India and that this party knows the sentiment and issues of Northeast people more than any other national parties, reports said.
He also said that NPP will always stand for the welfare of the Northeast states. However, support and cooperation from people of the states is highly needed, he said while encouraging people of the state to make Northeast one of the most progressive states in the country.
National vice-president NPP Y Joykumar Singh said that the party will surely get more than 20 seats in the forthcoming elections. Although NPP is an ally of the BJP government, the party will never compromise any issue that will affect interest of the state, reports added.
The programme was also attended by president, NPP Manipur, N Kayisii as president of the function.
135 Cases of Violence Against Women, Children Reported in Manipur
An independent report prepared by the Women Action for Development (WAD) said that altogether 135 cases of violence against women and children have been reported in Manipur between January 1 and November 23.
WAD has documented 135 cases of violence against women and children from January 1, 2021 to November 23, 2021 through the local Newspapers.
The report says, out of 135 cases, there were 29 rapes, one gang rape, six murders, five suicides, nine suspicious deaths, four molestation, 21 assault, 22 missing, two attempt to rape, two delivery deaths, one assault with delivery, one domestic violence, one abandoned, three life attempts, four attempt to child marriage cases, nine crowd control assault, none sexual harassment, five kidnappings, four cybercrime and five medical negligence death respectively.
Out of the mentioned 135 cases of violence against women and children, 27 cases occurred in Imphal East, 31 in Imphal West, 27 in Thoubal, 11 in Bishnupur, five in Ukhrul, two in Kamjong, two in Chandel, four in Tamenglong, three in Kangpokpi, eight in Churachandpur, seven in Kakching District, three outside the state, two in Jiribam and three in Senapati district respectively, the report added.
72-Hour General Strike Demanding ST Status Draws Mixed Response
The 72-hour State-wide General Strike called by the World Meetei Council (WMC) in protest against the state government’s alleged failure to recommend inclusion of Meetei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list from November 25 draws mixed response.
Despite the general strike, decorative works were carried out in various streets of Imphal in connection with the visit of BJP national president JP Nadda in the state and motor bike rally were held on the arrival of BJP president.
Although most of the business establishments in Thangal Bazar and Paona Bazar in Khwairamband Bazar remained closed most of the shops in Imphal area remained open.
Most of the private offices were also opened in closed door. Government institutes and offices functioned smoothly as usual. Educational institutes particularly CBSE schools also remained functional as their Term 1 Board examination is going on.
Though traffic flow and the number of passenger service vehicles plying on the road was very low as compared to normal days, movement of vehicles and public are evident.
Meanwhile, the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) in a statement issued November 23 by its Publicity Secretary W Ananda Meetei has clarified that the committee does not endorse the proposed 72 hours general strike called on November 25 called by some organisation.
The statement further appealed to every other organisation or CSO to discuss issues related to ST demand with STDCM before taking any decision.
Manipur Economic Blockade on ADC “Bill” Suspended
The indefinite economic blockade imposed along national highways from November 22 by tribal student bodies in Manipur has been lifted temporarily, after three student bodies namely the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM), the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) and the All Naga Students’ Association of Manipur (ANSAM) reached an agreement with the State Government on November 25. The Arrested tribal student leaders were also released.
As per the agreement, there will be a discussion between the Hill Area Committee (HAC), Manipur Legislative Assembly and the State Government on the draft Autonomous District Council (ADC) Bill, 2021 within five days i.e. by November 30.
It was agreed that the draft ADC Bill, 2021 shall be introduced by the government in the upcoming winter assembly session, 2021 after completing the due process of law provided under the Constitution of India.
The agreement also mentioned that the government shall release all the executives of ATSUM, KSO and ANSAM unconditionally and the ongoing economic blockade shall be suspended for the time being.
The agreement was signed by president of ATSUM Paotinthang Lupheng; president of ANSAM Wanglar Thiirtung and president of KSO Sasang Vaiphei from the side of student bodies while Additional Chief Secretary Letkhogin Haokip signed on behalf of State Government.
The agreement was made in presence of three ministers, namely Letpao Haokip, L Dikho and Vungzagin Valte along with the officers of the Tribal Affairs and Hill department.
The 11 executive members of the three student bodies who were arrested late November 24 have been released unconditionally Thursday, reports added.
