Imphal, October 30: Dubbing the MPP as a political party whose writ does not extend beyond the valley areas, Chief Minister O Ibobi today said that the claim of the MPP that it is the only party which can remove AFSPA from Manipur is a big joke.

Speaking at the one day Block Level Congress Workers Conference at Hiyanglam today, the Chief Minister dismissed the MPP as a party of no consequence and added, "the MPP does not have even one MP and how does it hope to meet the Prime Minister or the Union Home Minister to discuss the repeal of AFSPA." Forget about discussing the issue with the Centre, the MPP will not even be granted an audience by the PM or the Home Minister, he claimed.

Asking the people not be misled by the tall claims of the MPP president, the Chief Minister reminded the gathering that the MPP is a party made up of party hoppers.

As such the claim that if the MPP comes to power it will revoke the AFSPA is laughable said Ibobi and urged all not be fooled by such tall claims.

Questioning whether the leaders of the MPP, RJD and NCP were able to revoke AFSPA when they were in power, the Chief Minister reminded the people that it was the Congress led SPF Government which removed AFSPA from the Imphal Municipal areas though the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister were staunchly against such a move.

The decision to lift the Act from the said areas was taken by the SPF Government in the interest of the people, he asserted.

The Chief Minister made it clear that the Congress is not in favour of imposing AFSPA in the State.

The Act has been imposed because of the underground movement, said the Chief Minister and explained that just like the people of Manipur do not want the fragmentation of the political boundary of the State, the Government of India too does want the country to break up.

Law and order is something which is delicate, said the Chief Minister and informed the people that the Government spends about Rs 3 crore per month just to meet the fuel demands of the security personnel.

On the claim of former BJP State president and ex-MP Th Chaoba that he could not announce the conversion of MU to a Central varsity because the code of conduct of election came too soon, Ibobi laughed it off and said that the people cannot be fooled that easily.

The Chief Minister also urged the Congress workers to work sincerely to ensure that a Congress Govt is formed after the election to ensure stability and development.

As long as the Congress, which believes in secularism and is made up of people of different communities is in power, no one can break Manipur, claimed MPCC (I) president Gaikhangam in his speech and urged all to ensure that the Cong is returned to power.

Comment