Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 05 2010:
IFCD and YAS Minister, N Biren today categorically stated that there is no question of the Secular Progressive Front (SPF) government going together with the GPRN.
Addressing a press conference at his office chamber at the Secretariat complex this afternoon, the Minister said that inscription of one GPRN Kilonser on the stone plaque of the cultural carnival prepared by the Chilvai Naga Union at Lakhamai village in Senapati district a few days back was done at the local level, and it had nothing to do with the government.
Since there was no such name on the invitation card given to them, they agreed to participate in the programme, Minister Biren said.
However, when the stone plaque was unveiled, the name of the GPRN Kilonser was noticed, he said.
They (Ministers and MLAs) told the organisers that they would not take part in the function, the village elders clarified that it was done by the youths out of ignorance, and assured that it would be erased.
Only then, the Ministers agreed to take part in the function.
If the name of an outlawed organisation was printed on the invitation card, there was no way for the Ministers and MLAs to attend the function, Minister Biren asserted.
Tribal Development Minister, DD Thaisii, former Minister Francis Ngajokpa and Chairman of Hill Areas Committee, MLA Thangmilien Kipgen were also present at the press conference.
They said that in the past if there was any name of an outlaw, they never went to the function.