Sushma flays Ibobi government over Manipur crisis
- Press Release from BJP, Manipur -

Imphal, July 09, 2010

Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj, while lambasting the Okram Ibobi Singh government for its total failure to address the current chaotic situation gripping Manipur has assured of raising the matter in both houses of the ensuing parliament session for redressal. "The state government is incompetent and non-functional and the central government is equally insensitive to the issue," Sushma said while addressing a media conference here on Friday morning before wrapping up the party leaders' two day visit to strife-torn Manipur.

Though the 67-day long economic blockade on the National Highways was lifted way back on June 18, the people continued to suffer similar pangs of the stir after the state transporters refused to ply on the Imphal-Dimapur section of NH 39, the key supply route of the state. The transport operators, who faced heavy extortions from militants groups, student bodies and even police along the route in Nagaland, decided to ply on NH 53 (Imphal-Silchar route) as a permanent lifeline despite its deplorable condition.

Opposition leader in the LS and senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj on arriving at Imphal airport

Coming down heavily on the centre' negligence to resolve Manipur crises, Sushma said "not a single Congress nor a minister from the ruling UPA government has ever visited the state since the issue triggered two months back to take stock of the situation." "Around 200 persons belonging to different civil bodies as well as the senior citizens met us and we have studied the ground realities and the plights of the general public. They want permanent deployment of highway protection force and immediate action to resolve the current crisis," Sushma said adding "we will not let you down."

Echoing Sushma, SS Ahluwalia ,deputy leader of Rajya Sabha said the volatile situation in the state is the offshoot of the present Congress led government's total negligence. "When the transport operators refused to ply on NH 39, why the centre failed to send army to bring in essential commodities to Manipur? " questioned Ahluwalia . Rajya Sabha MP Chandan Mitra said this is worst case of negligence he had ever experienced in the country.

"This is the result of complete callousness and total negligence of the both the state and central governments and BJP will be in the forefront in to overcome the acute woes of the deprived people of Manipur ," Mitra,also a prominent journalist, said. Straight after its arrival at Imphal airport on Thursday afternoon the five-member BJP team addressed a party workers' conference at Gandhi Memorial hall in the heart of Imphal.

In the evening the leaders of the saffron party discussed the current situation with various civil society organizations at the party's Imphal head office.

Laimayum Bashanta Sharma
Secretary
Media Affairs
BJP, Manipur