IMPHAL, March 14 (NNN): The Autonomous District Council Coordinating Committee (ADCCC) said on Thursday that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had told the representatives of the committee that the demands raised by it were genuine. Talking to the media at the District Council Bhavan at Chingmeirong here on Thursday, ADCC secretary Hemjathang Khongsai said representatives of the committee recently met with the Central leaders, including the Prime Minister in New Delhi.
During the meeting with the Prime Minister on February 1 they apprised him on the legitimate demands made by the committee to the Government of Manipur and the Prime Minister told them that the committee`s demands were genuine, Khongsai said. They also met with the President on the same day. Further, they met with AICC Vice President Rahul Gandhi on March 5 and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Home Minister Sushil Kumar Sindhe on March 6 on the same issue.
All the Central leaders had told them that the demands of the committee were legitimate, Khonsai added.
It was a major policy of UPA to establish good governance with support from grass roots level, he cited the Central leaders as saying.
When the ADCCC representatives told the Prime Minister that Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi refused to hold talks with the committee and he failed to take any initiative with regard to the demands, the Prime Minister assured them that he would persuade the Chief Minister, Khongsaid added.
Khongsai further said the stir by ADCCC will continue if the state Government fails to sort out the issue and implement the proposed separate budget arrangement for the ADCs as recently announced by the Chief Minister.