IMPHAL, June 5: The Government of Manipur failed to urge the Central government to set up the Highway Protection Force to protect Manipur’s lifelines, the two national highways NH 2 (Imphal – Dimapur) and NH 37 (Imphal – Jiribam), said Dr M Nara, secretary of Manipur State Council (CPI/MSC), Communist Party of India at a press meet at Irabot Bhavan, BT Road, Imphal today at around 2:30 pm.
The press meet was held on his return to Imphal after he attended the CPI National Executive meeting held at the party’s head office, at Ajoy Bhavan, New Delhi on June 1 and 2.
He said following his address before the meeting on the setting up of the highway protection force in the highways passing along the state, the meeting had resolved the setting up of the highway protection force to protect the lifelines of Manipur, its two National Highways.
The two highways connect Manipur to other states of India, however vehicles plying along the two highways are not only disturbed but extorted on a daily routine, he had addressed the meeting, he said.
Further elaborating on his speech at the meeting, the state secretary of the CPI, Manipur State Council said, he had also placed before the meeting that illegal taxes imposed by insurgents and anti-social elements have led to the torture of drivers and conductors and even sometimes murder.
He had raised during the meeting that such incidents continued unabated along the two highways following which it was resolved to set up highway protection force along the two highways, he continued.
A delegation of CPI National Executive met with officials of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) yesterday afternoon after the two-day meeting, he said and added after the representation concerning the two highways was read out at the meeting, officials expressed surprise while stating that the government of Manipur neither informed them of such incidents nor urged them seriously to set up Highway Protection Force.
It is learnt that Shambu Singh Jt Secretary (North- East in charge) of MHA also attended the meeting.
Officials made assurances that efforts would be made to implement the setting up of the highway protection force, he elaborated.
A resolution was adopted for the party to conduct a three phased campaign from July 1, he said. Other resolutions taken during the meeting include launching a nation-wide court arrest agitation on October 3 and 4 by recruiting 5 lakh youths for the party, he said.
“However, agitations will be underway from June for Manipur”.
The demands for the agitation to be launched in Manipur include repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, save Sharmila, implementation of Inner Line Permit System, root out drug trafficking, no involvement of the family of ruling party, hold peace talks with all underground organisations without any condition, set up National Highway Protection Force, make laws to ban bandh/blockade along the national highways, no privatisation of health and power sectors, provide to a family 35 kg of rice per month at Rs 2, set up special fast track court to conduct trial on crimes against women, he said.
He further said that recruitment of police constables involved corruption. The nationwide agitation to be launched by CPI is not to engender the congress led government at the centre.