IMPHAL, December 28: The 127th foundation day celebration of the Indian National Congress was observed at Congress Bhavan, Imphal. Speaking at the function, Chief Minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi during his speech as chief guest in PCC Delegate’s Convention said that the state government will set up a policy for holitic development of the State.
The Chief Minister assured that an independent body with a retired Judge as its chairman will be set up soon for a policy towards bringing about an egalitarian development among all ethnic groups in Manipur. He mentioned that the policy will empasize on bringing about equal development in both hill and valley districts. The body will have representatives from all the ethnic communities including intellectuals and representatives from various fields, he said.
The Chief Minister regarding the observance said that the 127th anniversary of INC is being celebrated so to make it relevant to the present generation about the Congress party as well as the political history of India.
He further said that experienced economists from MU, retired judges and other senior scholars will frame a policy for the state government to collect data and statistics for the development of the state. The CM said that despite many hurdles, the congress party came out with 2/3 of the people`s mandate reaffirming the faith in the party by the people of Manipur. He stated that the party will work out from all levels to bring development in the state and that the 127th year of the party`s existence is apt for remembering the party leaders and founders who fought for the cause of the country.
Presiding over the function of the 127th foundation day celebrations, Deputy Chief Minister and President of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, MPCC Gaikhangam said that the Congress party in India is one party which has been in existence before the independence of India and that it is among one of the oldest 10 political parties in the world. Gaikhangam noted that the Congress party has come out as the most powerful party in the country because of the support of the people and maintained that the party works for peace, unity and prosperity setting aside the differences of colour, race, language and religion. He further said that the foundation day celebration was supposed to have been observed in a big way but due to the current situation in Manipur, the celebration was scaled. In his speech, the Deputy CM said that new and young leaders of the party must follow the footsteps of late congress legends. He also said that the congress party stands for peace and unity in the state. He said that being a Mani
puri, one must think about the state as a whole. He said that both the hill and valley people need to appreciate one another.
Veteran Congress party leader Rishang Keishing who was also present in the function said that that leaders today must not think on an individual basis and that party members and leaders who do not work for the good of the organization should rectify themselves. He observed that the Congress party has now grown weaker and shrunk because the party is full of corrupt people and leaders.“We should love others like we love ourselves and tag along with the footprint of the late leaders of the party in order to strengthen the party,” the octogenarian Congress leader suggested.
Congress ministers, MLAs and a swarm of Congress workers also took part at the function. Later, a convention of the delegates of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PPC) was also organized as part of the anniversary. A condolence session was also held in honor of Congress workers who were victims of underground elements during the last 10th Manipur general election, 2012.