Imphal, March 31 2009: In a fitting reply to the criticism made yesterday by Health Minister Ph Parijat against the MPP, specially its candidate for Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency in the ensuing Lok Sabha election Th Chaoba, the former Union Minister has described the CPI as the "tail of a cat, not even of a tiger".

He was reacting to a news report published in a few local dailies in which Parijat is quoted to have termed the MPP as a "paper tiger which roars only during the time of election".

Talking to this reporter, the MPP leader said, CPI is a political party which has never done anything better than meekly sticking by like the cuddling cat's tail even when it's unwanted.

Citing example of the CPI's continued presence in the SPF government in Manipur when the party had parted ways with Congress at the Centre long time back, Chaoba recalled that way back in 1975 when emergency was declared in India, all political parties isolated Congress and Indira Gandhi.

But the CPI kept on hanging on to the saree of Indira Gandhi, Chaoba said.

Stating that there is no sign of any good work done by the CPI in Manipur, the veteran politician said that it's time the people of the state realised what kind of role the party had been playing in the state.

As a partner of the SPF government during the last seven years, the CPI had also been equally responsible for all the unfortunate happenings in the state, Chaoba said.

The CPI has also been equally responsible as the Congress for the death of SDO Kishan and his two staff.

The former Union Minister further said that if Sharmila dies as a result of the callous attitude of the SPF government towards her demand, CPI must also be equally responsible.

He said, the party is also responsible for corruption which has reached the extreme point during the past seven years of its partnership with Congress.

The CPI can't escape responsibility for the non-availability of drinking water and electricity, worst condition of the roads, etc.

Therefore, it's time the people of Manipur realised the villainous role being played by the CPI, Chaoba said.

He lamented that in the urban areas where large number of educated and politically conscious people concentrate, the turn out of voters during polling is very low compared to that of rural areas.

If all the unfortunate state of affairs in Manipur is to be stopped, then there should be large turn out of voters during polling, Chaoba said.

He appealed to the people to come out in large number and cast votes to bring a new change in the administration.

Comment