No one will go scot free, assures Ibobi on 7/23
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 15 2009: All police personnel involved in the Khwairamband incident of July 23 would be penalised accordingly regardless of their rank in case they are found guilty by the ongoing enquiry, stated Chief Minister Okram Ibobi.

He exuded confidence that together with serious efforts towards enabling students attend class fully and properly, normal atmosphere may be restored in the state within three days.

In a special interview by a team of journalists based outside the State in his office chamber this afternoon, Ibobi said that the Government ordered a Judicial Enquiry into the incident under pressure from the public after a Magisterial enquiry had been already ordered.

Talking about the stay order issued by Court against the enquiry conducted by the Manipur Human Rights Commission into the same incident, the Chief Minister said that the Government, acting on the advice of legal experts, went to Court about the simultaneous enquiries by the MHRC and the Justice Agarwal Commission.

In subsequent development, the Court issued the stay order.

The matter may be better left to the Court, he said.

Responding to queries raised by the journalists about the Khwairamband incident and other incidents of fake encounters in Manipur, Ibobi rejected allegations of staging fake encounters.

"As for the July 23 Khwairamband incident, an enquiry is already in progress.

No police personnel found guilty after the enquiry would be let scotfree regardless of their rank", the Chief Minister pledged.

However, in a separate meeting, MHRC Member RK Rajendra contended that there was no cross firing in the July 23 Khwairamband incident.

Taking note of the prolonged deprivation of education to students because of the indefinite class boycott agitation launched as a part of the people's protest movement against the tragic Khwairamband incident, Ibobi said that the Government has been making all out efforts.

Chief Minister O Ibobi telling the media that no one will be spared in the 7/23 incident

"The situation may return to normal within two/three days", he exuded.

Stating that the Government had held two rounds of talks with senior citizens and once with the agitating organisations towards bringing a solution to the impasse, he confided that the situation may return to normal very soon as the organisations calling class boycott have realised the negative impacts of their agitation.

Apparently reacting to the assertion of the agitating parties that they were fighting for right to life by suspending normal education as right to life far outweighs right to education, the Chief Minister said that the two rights are equally important to the Government.

"That is why, the Government is working hard to ensure both these fundamental rights to all citizens of the state", he claimed.

Stating that education was left untouched even at times of war, Ibobi wondered whether any part of the world had ever witnessed agitation like the ongoing indefinite class boycott.

Touching on Sharmila's more than nine years long campaign and other people's movements to repeal Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from all over Manipur, Ibobi reminded that the Act has been repealed from areas within the jurisdiction of Imphal Municipal Council.

The Prime Minister and the Home Minister were against repealing AFSPA from any part of the State in the national interest.

But the Act was nevertheless repealed from IMC areas in the interest of the people of Manipur and also to save the life of Sharmila, Ibobi claimed.

Disclosing that Sharmila's elder brother once appealed to repeal AFSPA even if it was from only some parts of Manipur, to save Sharmila, the Chief Minister noted that after the Act has been repealed from IMC areas, 'they' are now demanding scrapping of the Act totally.

"Some provisions of the Act would be certainly amended.

Let's see when the amendment is done", Ibobi stated.

Speaking about the insurgency problem, Ibobi asserted that unemployment was the principal factor.

Even as around 80 percent of UG cadres are not educated, there are around six lakh educated unemployed people in Manipur.

Today's press meet was also attended by SPF Government's spokesperson and IFCD Minister N Biren.