IMPHAL, December 22: Various organizations, civil society groups, community leaders and political parties have all come together to voice their condemnation of the Chandel incident.
Addressing a press meet at the office of the Manipur People’s Party, party adviser O. Joy said that it would be better for all government authorities to resign. Condemning the incident as an inhuman act, he further said he would meet the State Governor over the matter. “The incident was discussed at Zero hour at the state assembly and the government should make a suo motto statement on the matter,” he said.
O. Joy maintained that it was ridiculous that the responsibility of the incident and its after effects points to the NSCN (IM) who is on peace talks with India government and hence, amounting to breaking the ground rule of the cease fire agreement. “What was the cease fire monitoring cell doing at the time of the incident?” asked O. Joy.
Maintaining it was shameful that the police personnel who were present during the incident watched it silently, he asked, “Instead of taking medals through deceitful ways, why are they not brave enough to safeguard the artistes at Chandel when the NSCN (IM) cadre fired upon them breaking the ground rule?”
O.Joy demanded that the government immediately arrest and punish the accused and urged the state government and Union Home Ministry to bring out the accused so that the people’s agitations could be cooled down.
In another press conference, Senior Advocate Khaidem Mani and Secretary of Senior Citizen for Society, Manipur strongly condemned the Chandel incident terming it as “a barbaric and inhuman act”. Speaking to the media he said that, the incident on Dec 18 during a musical concert at Chandel was very unfortunate. He further said that, it is a very shameful that the audience present the police personal on duty stood like mute spectators.
All India Students’ Federation, All India Youth Federation, Kangleipak Students’ Association, The Irom Meijro Apunba Nupi Iramdam Khunai Lup, The Young Union Club, Meijrao, United Clubs’ Organisation, The Solitary Star Club, Thounaojam, Tarahei Konjil Mauhamadan Social Youth Club, Social and Youth Welfare Organisation, Nupi Samaj Welfare Association, The Social Reformation and Development Club, Young Union Club, Muslim Advocates Legal Services Organisation, Ethno Heritage Council, Kangleipak Human Resource Development Network, Nationalist Congress Party and Langol Lukhoi Thang-Ta Sindam Sang have condemned the incident.