MPP knocks at Sonia's door with oust Ibobi call
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 24 2009: High-lighting the prevailing situation in the State, in the aftermath of July 23 incident at Khwairamband Bazar, Manipur People's Party (MPP) has written to AICC president Sonia Gandhi to remove Okram Ibobi Singh from the post of Chief Minister and appoint another Congressman in his place.

Announcing this during a press conference at the party office here this afternoon, president of MPP, Dr Nimaichand Luwang, observed that if peace and normalcy is to be restored in Manipur in the face of the growing public resentment over the July 23 incident, then Ibo bi should go.

A cartoon by Hijam Satya of TSE

Taking serious note of the matter, MPP has faxed a letter to AICC president Sonia Gandhi to remove Ibobi from the post of Chief Minister and appoint another Congressman in his place, Dr Nimaichand said, adding that a copy of the same letter would also be registered and sent by post.

Highlighting the points raised in the said letter, the MPP president said that the misleading statement on the July 23 incident, which Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, who is also in charge of Home, read out on the floor of the Assembly, has already been exposed by the photographic evidences of Tehelka.

Now Chief Minister O Ibobi himself must have also been convinced that it was indeed a fake encounter.

Dr Nimaichand said that he had never come across any Chief Minister or politician who can remain indifferent to the growing demand of his resignation from the public, various political parties of the Opposition and other social organsiations.

Therefore the decision to seek the intervention of AICC president has been taken as the ruling MLAs have also not heeded the call of the public to exert pressure on Ibobi to step down.

Manipur is on the boil today and normalcy can be restored only with the resignation of Ibobi on moral ground and punishment of the police commandos involved in the July 23 incident, Dr Nimaichand asserted.

As for the stand of the MPP, it would continue to launch agitation until Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh resigns from his post, Dr Nimaichand said, while conveying that preparations have also been made for expansion of the agitation at the district and block level.

To ensure that the trend of fake encounter is stopped for good, the MPP president also appealed to the people to support them in the ongoing agitation.