IMPHAL, November 11: The facts on the controversial Indo-Myanmar border fencing issue must be tabled on the floor of the Parliament by members of the Parliament from the state. Only a proper discussion at the Parliament can bring about a solution to this vexed issue, said Th Chaoba, president of BJP Manipur Pradesh.
In a press conference convened at its office at Nityaipat Chuthek, Th Chaoba stated that it will be useless to put pressures on the Central government and submit memorandum on the issue as the facts are out in the open and both the governments are involved and conscious about the fencing since its beginning.
He continued that the steps taken up by the state government will be a useless exercise and there will not be any significant gain from it. The only way to make amends from the border fencing which had resulted in loss of huge area of Manipur is to table the issue at the Parliament, he added.
The three MPs of the state must raise the issue at the Parliament and pave way for re-survey on the fencing issue and ensure correction of the dispute on the International border pillars under international norms after the institution of the Parliamentary committee, he said.
Th Chaoba alleged that the Chief Minister of Manipur and the Prime Minister of India has enacted a game plan to give away Manipur lands to Myanmar without the consent of Manipur public and for all of this Prime Minister and Chief Minister should be held responsible for any consequences.
But, it is very unfortunate that the present MPs of Congress party have never raised any question on the border fencing issue in the Parliament till now and it could not bring the issue at the national level, he further alleged.
The BJP Manipur Pradesh will press the BJP MPs and central leader of the BJP to raise the issue in the Parliament which ought to be brought up by the concern state MPs of Congress Party, he stated.
And it is promise from the BJP Manipur Pradesh to the people of state that a single pin-point of land will not be given to other on the issue of International Indo-Myanmar border fencing, said Chaoba.
It may be recalled that, in the recent meeting at the CM bungalow all political party meeting has unanimously approved a memorandum drafted for submitting to the PM, Home Minister, External Affairs Minister.
He disclosed that in the memorandum the parties cutting across their personal differences demanded the Central Government to conduct a joint survey of both Myanmar and India besides urging to halt all border fencing works unless a settlement is brought between the two nations.
He continued that the fencing work done under the supervision of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with the approval of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
Choaba said that the fencing inside the Yangoupokpi Lokchao Wild Life Sanctuary of around 10 kilometer in length and 10 meter in bread was taken in the year 2008 by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh of the State Wild Life Advisory Board which he was the chairmen.
Ministry of Home Affairs of the Union government had had sanction a sum of rupees 5.3 crore to the Compensatory Afforestation Planning and Management Authority (CAPMA) which is form by the Supreme Court of India for construction of fencing along the pillar number 79 -80, 80 – 81.
Out of this the CAPMA had deposited a sum of rupees 2.65 crore to the state Forest department in three phases during the year 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 respectively and the amount was paid as compensation of encroaching the wild life sanctuary and it should that state government knows that part of the Manipur territory would be encroached by the border fencing work.
He questioned that when everything has been done under the knowledge of the government why Chief Minister said that he have no knowledge.
He demanded that he must clarify for cheating the people of the state but also other political parties.