IMPHAL, February 9: Even though it is illegal, perpetrators of heinous crimes against people of the North East should be shot at sight, state deputy chief minister and state Home minister Gaikhangam said reacting to the recent incidents of crime against NE people in Delhi.
The state Home minister condemned the heinous crimes taking place at mainland India and said, a young girl from the state was raped, two working women assaulted and another student from Arunachal Pradesh brutally assaulted resulting in his death.
Such inhuman crimes against humanity have seen a rise since the AAP came to power in Delhi, he said before asserting that the seven north eastern states need to stand together.
Interacting with media persons at his quarter this evening, Gaikhangam said that the racist attacks and other crimes perpetuated towards the people of the North East in other mainland cities is due to the non-implementation of the existing laws.
He further expressed that any effort to strengthen the policies for safeguarding the people of the North East in other parts of the country is welcomed.
Commenting on the BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s visit to the state, he said the visit was not made successful by the BJP.
But it was the Manipuri culture to warmly welcome and show respect to any guest, coupled with the state government’s responsibility in arranging the security of the Gujarat CM that helped in making the visit a success, he asserted.
He further congratulated the state force from the DGP to the lower personnel for providing befitting security cover to Narendra Modi.
It is a culture of both the hills and valley communities to warmly welcome any guest to the state, he continued.
The success should be attributed to the people of the state and the government, he said because if the government had not performed its responsibilities, the visit would not have been this successful.
Nevertheless, the Congress never expected any good word from them, he asserted.
Gaikhangam elaborated that Modi’s maiden visit might not be translated to the election, the Manipuri public do not follow and take seriously the national leaders and cited the visit of Hema Malini during the last Assembly Election in 2012.
Without a strong foundation, a house cannot last long, he said.
On the offering from Modi for 200 police personnel for training in Gujarat, he said Manipur is a border state and the police have the confidence and strength to meet any challenge even better than that of Gujarat and so his offer cannot be accepted.
Regarding another offer from the Gujarat CM on exchanges on tourism between the two states, he said if there was a national policy for all states, it can be accepted otherwise it cannot be.
MPCC strongly condemn the heinous crimes committed against women and children, he said.
Both the chief minister and himself have time and again appraised the Prime Minister on the issue, he continued.
He further mentioned that for the Congress party, preparation for the election is a continuous process since the last Lok Sabha election.
Since December and January being festive season, there was a lull, however, it has been renewed again with the start of February, he said.
Regarding the members of the party’s recent joining the BJP, he said they were non-entities and there absence has no impact whatsoever on the party.
He said there are in fact certain non-Congress sitting MLAs who have asked to join the party, and the party is awaiting for a response from the party high command.