Imphal, September 28: Setting October 5 as the deadline for fulfilling its demand for revival the Die-in-Harness Scheme, All Manipur Die-in-Harness Appointment Demand Committee has announced that it would imposed indefinite economic blockade on National Highways 39 and 53 from the midnight of the same day if the Government fails to comply.

Addressing a press conference at Thangmeiband today, advisor of the Demand Committee Naorem Ekaban said the decision to impose indefinite economic blockade along the two National Highways has been taken as the Government remains indifferent to the demand for revival of the abolished Die-in-Harness scheme despite having submitted numerous memorandum and launching various form of agitations.

Ekaban said the remarks of Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh made on the floor of the Assembly recently in connection with the demand of Die-in-Harness scheme was intended to mislead and fool the people.

The Demand Committee is now compelled to think all the MLAs both of the Ruling and the Opposition are toying with the issue and misusing the platform of the Assembly to further their own vested interest, Ekaban said.

Charging the Chief Minister with inconsistency, Ekaban recalled that Ibobi had mentioned number of pending Die-in-Harness cases as 1036 in the Assembly.

But he had quoted it as 1300 while speaking at the occasion of inaugurating the fire substation at Thoubal and as 900 during a meeting with the representatives of JAC of AMTUC and AMGEO in November last year.

In the meeting with JAC representatives, the Chief Minister had also claimed that 10-15 cases are resolv-ed in a month but not even the first ten cases listed in the serial prepared by the DP in 2003 has been resolved till date, he charged.

During the course of the agitation being launched by the Demand Committee for revival of the scheme which is being implemented in other States of the country, 11 Government offices have been set on fire and ransacked, Ekaban said.

To exert more pressures on the Government, the Demand Committee would be constraint to impose economic blockade along the two National Highways with effect from midnight of October 5 if the Government fails to comply with the demand within the said deadline, Ekaban explained, adding that the Government should be held responsible for any untoward incident that might occur during the cause of the economic blockade.

Representatives of the Demand Committee units of Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Senapati.

Churachandpur, Thoubal and Bishnupur who were also present at the occasion said they were prepared and ready to ensure the success of the economic blockade.

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