IMPHAL, March 25: The shooting incident by Nongthongbam Ajay Meitei, 27, s/o IFCD minister N Biren of Luwangsangbam near Ghari leading to the death of 21 years old Irom Rojer s/o I Lokendro of Wangkhei Angom Leikai on March 20 afternoon raised a storm in the Assembly today.
Opposition MLAs demanded the incident should not be taken lightly by the state government, and considering the gravity of the crime, the IFCD minister N Biren has no moral rights to remain as a minister and it is better for him to resign on moral ground.
Senior Opposition member O Joy Singh led the charge in the House today while initiating the consideration and discussion on passing the Manipur Appropriation (N0.2) Bill, 2011 as introduced in the House by the Chief Minister, O Ibobi Singh.
He also mentioned that, the principle of the Bill is to form the state budget that is why the very bill is incorporating a total of Rs.6885,57,22,000 crores which could be term as money bill. The bill itself carries the hopes, expectations and aspirations of the people of the state.
Besides fulfillment of these expectations, hopes and aspirations of the people in terms of development and prosperities in the state should be fulfill only through proper implementations of plans, projects and policies of the state government.
O Joy Singh further sought clarification from the Chief Minister on the progress of investigation into the shooting case and also urged to clarify the reason and circumstances leading to the crime and demanded that whoever or whatever the culprit might be, the case must be dealt as per the rule of law and a charge sheet of the case should be filed as early as possible so that the state government could take appropriate actions in order to avoid repeating of such incident in the future to come.
Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, who also holds Home portfolio in the Secular Progressive Front government, assuaged the opposition lawmakers saying that whosoever is found guilty, whether he be a minister’s son, will be dealt with according to the law of the land and none who are involved in the March 20 incident will be spared. “The government will not try and protect the guilty because of his pedigree,” he said.
He further clarified that, the police investigation of the case is under progress and further assured the House today that anybody else involved in the incident will not be spare by the state government and there is no question of concealing the facts of the incident even if one of the accused was a son of cabinet minister.
Besides, it is responsible for the state to book the culprits on the part of delivering justice, but punishment for these culprits is to be decided by the court. All arrested persons in connection with the firing incident are under judicial remand and they will be in police custody for further interrogations and investigations. On the other hand it will be hard to tell the motive behind the incident as the case is under the process, chief minister added.
MLA, O Joy further draw the attentions of the state government for maintaining proper strictures of the state to prevent frequent economic blockades along the National Highways of the state. It also mentioned that frequent calls of bandhs and economic blockades along the highways had not only been hampering in various aspects of developmental works of the state but also given direct impact to the socio economic of the common people and there is urgent need of proper legislation to prevent such bandhs and blockades along the Highways. Highlighting the failure to implement the recommendation of the Manisana Wage Baord Commission for journalists in the state for the last many years, O Joy said, non implementation of the said wages as recommended by the editor or proprietors of various news paper agencies operating in the state is punishable and the very nature of non implementation of the recommended wages for working journalists by the proprietors or editors is truly exploitation of the rights, such irregularities need to be carefully check by the state labour department.
Finally he also drew the attention of the state government for prompt payments of the bills for the completed works to the local contractors in order to ease the difficulties and grievances faced by the local contractors.
In the meantime, MLA, Dr Ng Bijoy while participating in the discussion draw the attention of the Chief Minister to take consideration to the case of the murder of one 26 years old girl, RK Ratanmala Devi d/o RK Ruhinukumar of Khurai Chingangbam Leirak at Langthabal Phura Makhong Poirou Loukon on January 30, 2010, and asked to highlight the progress of the investigation of the said case.
Later, MLA, RK Anand further observed for the urgent need of the legislation to prevent frequent bandhs and blockades along the highways of the state which has hampered all spheres of development in the state every year and further drawn the attention of the state government on the progress of the recent reports of a breach along the Khuga Dam Canal in Churachandpur district.
Regarding the issue on frequent bandhs and blockades along the National High ways by various civil society organizations the CM said, the chief minister responded to the concerned raised by O Joy with similar anxiety saying that bandh and blockade are singularly responsible for the delay and interruption of lofty projects like high court complex, capitol project, State secretariat etc. Suppliers of raw materials have often time refused to dig into their inventories simply because of frequent bandh and blockade in the State, the CM stated. While acknowledging the menace of bandh and blockade which have caused the shutting out of the State for an accumulated days running into 1.5 years in the last five years alone, the chief minister assured that the government will do the needful to rein in bandh and blockade mongers in the State.
CM further mentioned that, ongoing maintenance works along the National High way 53 has been closely monitored both by the state government and central ministry with the positive hopes of completing the works in the near future. Later on the CM appeal through the August house today to all concerned not to call any forms of bandhs and blockades along the national highways in the common interest of the state.
Regarding the recent breached along the canal of Khuga Dam at Churachndpur district, he clarified that, as mentioned by the state IFCD minister, the breached that appeared along the canal of the Khuga Dam was the handiwork of some behest interested persons in order to tarnish the image of the government and the police has been actively investigating to book the culprits involved in blocking the escaped canal by using bags filled with earth which has resulted breached of the said canal portion, he clarified.
Later, the Chief Minister clarified that considering the grievances faced by the local contractors, instructions had already been given to the official concern for the prompt payment of the bills for completed works specially in the engineering departments after verifying the physical progress of the projects by competent officers, with this clarifications the Chief Minister moved for the passing of the Manipur Appropriation (No.2) Bill, 2011 in the house and the house today agreed to pass the bill unanimously.
