IMPHAL, August 4: Strongly opposing the central government’s decision to implement the National Food Security Act and ongoing boundary fencing works along the Indo-Myanmar Border in Moreh, representatives of non-Congress political parties based in the state are all set to press the leaders of national political parties in Delhi on the issues.
A decision to this effect was arrived during a press meet held at the office of the JD (U) at Babupura around 11.30 this morning which was attended by representatives of various non-Congress political parties of the State with MPP’s president N Sovakiran and JD (U) Manipur State Unit’s president M Tombi Singh acting as the spokespersons of the said meeting.
The meeting which started at 3pm at the MPP office yesterday with the BJP, Manipur State Mandal president Th Chaoba as the president concluded at 6pm.
Representatives of MPP, CPI, CPM, AIFB, NPF, BJP, JD (U), JD (S), BSP and NCP took part in the meeting. However, both the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) and Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) were absent from the meeting.
After minutely deliberating on the two agendas, the meeting also resolved on placing certain demands.
The first agenda was on National Food Security Act. Regarding it, the representatives viewed that the Act should be implemented only after Members of the Parliament discus the matter.
But, the apparent bid of the Congress led UPA-II in trying to implement the ordinance after taking assent of the President is nothing more than a mere vote bank politics, the leaders alleged.
Moreover, with the government saying that the act would be implemented in the Congress-ruled States of the Country in the first phase and that the same Act would also be implemented in only the four valley districts of the State, tantamount to violation of the rights of the citizens and would further add more hardship to farmers.
The non- Congress political partieswill not accept the National Food Security Act, the meeting had noted, informed the spokespersons.
Taking into account the importance of the matter, a delegation of the joint political parties would be leaving for Delhi soon to press the central leaders of political parties to take up the issue in the House during the Parliament Session which will be starting from tomorrow.
Meanwhile, regarding the ongoing Indo-Myanmar boundary fencing work at Moreh, the leaders opined that many unwarranted incidents have emerged resulting from the fencing works informing that when Manipur became a part of Union of India in 1949, the State had its own recognised boundary.
While maintaining that the fencing works along the border should be stopped immediately if it affects the boundary line of the State, the leaders said if the government desires to continue with its works of fencing the Border, it should be done after a proper re-surveying.
This matter will also be highlighted to leaders of national political parties by the delegation in its proposed visit and would urge them to bring up the issues during the Parliament Session.