Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 22:
Demanding adequate compensation to owners of those vehicles destroyed by unidentified armed persons at several places in the run up to the April 20 Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency election, Transporters and Drivers' Council Manipur said the body would boycott the Inner Manipur election in case the Govt fails to compensate the damages within April 24.The boycott decision was taken during an emergency meeting of the Council at its MG Avenue office today morning.
The meeting decided to defy Government instruction to utilise private vehicles requisitioned for the Inner Manipur Parliamentary election slated for April 26.Council members present on the occasion also resolved to demand ex-gratia to family members of the deceased Jeep driver Md Tomba of Kshetri Awang Leikai who was engaged in election matter and died in an ambush in Ukhrul district on April 20 evening.
The total number of damaged vehicles include three Tata Sumos (MN-IK/0225), (MN-04/9876), MN-06L/1740; five 407 Mini Tata buses (MN04/909), MN-04/918), (MNO1/0423), MN-1/326), MN03/5286); and a jeep (MNS/1666), said a Council statement.
While three Tata Sumos and four Mini buses were set ablaze by the unidentified armed persons, a mini bus and the jeep were substantially damaged when armed persons opened gun-fire.
Meanwhile, taking serious note of widespread damages to the vehicles engaged in election duty, Indo-Burma Road Mini Bus Owners' Cooperative Society Limited condemned the State Government for its lackadaisical attitude to the grievances of the vehicle owners and transport operators including the drivers and handymen.
A press release of the Society stated that the vehicles were engaged to carry poll material and personnel for polling stations at Chairel LP School, Tokpaching Sarik Konjil, Chairel Tangjeng Khunjao Primary School and Wangoo Sabal LP School with assurances for adequate provision of security protection to reach the locations already listed as hyper sensitive.
However, the security personnel, did not escort the poll personnel and material upto the designated polling stations nor were there any armed security personnel at the said polling stations, rued the Society.
When Society members inquired the police station concerned whether cases have been registered on the arson, the police personnel pleaded ignorance on the matter, fumed the Society.
Enumerating various instances of having to endure hardships owing to repeated targeting of vehicles by anti-social elements, the Society lamented that its members are stuck between diktaks of underground outfits and compulsion of having to follow Govt orders.