IMPHAL, August 21: The Protection & Preservation Committee Manipur has alleged that the CAPD Minister Moirangthem Okendro had send in state police commandos to disrupt a meeting of the committee yesterday.
The meeting, attended by owners of several petrol pumps was held to deliberate on the present scarcity of petroleum products in the state due to the closure of petrol pumps.
PPCM advisors today made the allegation during a press conference at the EEMA conference hall, Keishampat.
Speaking to media persons, the advisors echoed that the committee had called a meeting to deliberate on the closure of all the petrol pumps in the state which has brought a man-made petroleum scarcity in the state, however even as the members were trying to initiate the meeting, state police commandos arrive at the scene and held back them from holding the meeting.
While condemning the Minister’s act, the advisors also expressed that the closure of petrol pumps in the state has encouraged black marketing in the state.
They also expressed that even though petrol pumps have remained closed in the state, petroleum products are easily available at exorbitant prices at the black markets-petrol is available at an exorbitant price of Rs 100 to Rs 200 in the black market.
Further condemning the Minister, they said if the Minister wanted to take action, he should do something about the black marketeers selling petrol in front of petrol pumps as if they are selling fruit juices.
They echoed that whenever a bandh or a highway blockade is announced, the petrol pumps close down shops and black marketeers will come out and sell petrol for exorbitant prices in front of the petrol pumps.
His inability to take action against such black marketers clearly shows that he is hand in glove with the black-marketeers, they echoed.
Condemning the Minister further, the body also said that while the Minister has failed to take any action against such black marketeers, disrupting a meeting for the reason that the organization is not registered is condemnable.
They further expressed that the police commandos’ indication that the committee is not a registered body is also unfortunate as the committee was only trying to deliberate on a state issue and further asked how many registered bodies of the state have done anything for the state.