SENAPATI, Aug 20: Strongly decrying the move of the State Cabinet decision on 17th August, 2012 to compensate the oil tankers and initiate actions against the agitating members, the JAC against the deduction of the 25% of MGNREGS funds has demanded the State Government to immediately revoke the decision. According to JAC members, the state government’s decision has displayed a “bias and irrational attitude” towards the District rather than addressing the grievances of the people. Any move to compensate those oil tankers with village MGNREGS funds that violated the bandh called by the general people will be unacceptable.
The JAC also stated that, opposing the earlier cabinet decision in 2010 to divert the 25% of MGNREGS funds, the JAC has imposed the said bandh on the wishes and collective decisions of all the villages. Rather than respecting the rights and wishes of the people, the present state government opted to crush the harmless and innocent voice through repressive measures.
“It is unfortunate that, rather than attending the memorandums and complaints letters submitted in previous months to concerned authorities to oppose the move of the ADC members and line departments, the government has decided to book and retribute the village funds to those bandh violators. In a bandh prone state like Manipur, where massive records of destructions and human loss has been reported during general strikes, bandhs and economic blockades, the state government has not initiated any actions nor the bandh supporters being penalized for such untoward activities” the JAC added.
However, it is shocking and alarming that the democratic rights of the villagers are repressed for voicing its concerns over the diversion of its funds which is provisionally and rightfully gifted in the flagship programme, it said.
The JAC therefore demand the State Government to revoke the 2010 decision and also the recent state cabinet decision to take actions against the JAC members. It is made clear through this publication that, if the demands of the JAC are not met at the earliest as assured by concerned authorities, it will be compelled to resume its suspended economic blockade very soon.
Meanwhile, in a move to decide further course of action and pursue the matter, the JAC has also called a general meeting on 25th August, 2012 at Tadubi for all Village Chairman/Secretaries located in Tadubi, Paomata and Purul sub-division.