`Clean Politics Mission`™ formed
IMPHAL, October 6: We are ready to accept the challenge thrown by Th. Chaoba, president of BJP Manipur unit. He is free to file case against us either at criminal court or civil court.
This was stated by Yambem Laba, special correspondent of The Statesman, Kolkata, in a press interaction held this morning at the Jupiter Yambem Centre, Paona Bazar Imphal. The interaction was held in connection with the legal notice served to three parties: Laba, publishers of The Statesman and Hueiyen Lanpao dailies by Th Chaoba.
Laba said that the threat given to him by Chaoba on Sept 22 through a legal notice is not a personal threat, but also a threat to the entire media community of the State. Laba, enunciating his long career as a journalist, and also as a human right activist, said he is standing up for the cause of both the profession of journalism and the cause of human rights, and rhetorically asked `How can Chaoba imagine that I would be so rich to pay him Rs 50 crores as damage money?`
Further, Laba pointed out that a reply to the notice served by Chaoba had already been furnished on Sept 29, stating that the article was based on facts which had occurred in RIMS, before adding that the `news report contains only facts and falls under the exception as mentioned under section 499 of the Indian Penal Code`. He said Kolkata High Court lawyer, Supriya Ranjan Saha has been engaged in this regard.
In the press interaction, Laba fired more salvos against Chaoba, alleging that the BJP president of Manipur unit had siphoned off huge amount of money during the February election rally of Narendra Modi in the recent Lok Sabha election held in Manipur. The amount siphoned off could be around Rs 50 lakhs, he added.
Laba also maintained that The Statesman is a paper, which even the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, had dared not touch during the time of emergency in India. The reputation of the paper needs no further mention, but it is one which has withstood the test of time, he said.
Ch Bijoy, former spokesperson of BJP, who was also present in the press interaction, announced that a body called `Clean Politics Mission`™ has been formed. Bijoy is the convener and Laba is the co-convener of the body.
Bijoy said that the objective of the body is to eradicate corrupt and unfair practices in politics. The body will bring awareness among the people through meetings, RTIs and PILs. He went on to allege Chaoba that `he holds the distinction of being the pioneer of shameless corruption`.
Bijoy further maintained that Sh Premananda Sharma, son of late BJP leader Madhumangol and Ashwini Kumar Moirangthem, general secy of BJP Manipur are the core members of Chaoba`™s corruption team. He alleged that Premananada has been using his father`™s name to commit wrongful deeds for his vested interest. Ashwini Kumar is a man `with perfect criminal past `¦ and a wolf in sheep`™s clothing`, he alleged.
Mentioned may be made that Laba had written an article `Beyond The Oath`™, which was published by The Statesman in its September 22 issue. In the said article, Laba had come down heavily on the alleged corrupt practices by the then Director of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr. S. Sekharjit and his wife Dr. Damayanti, who in cohorts with their relatives have turned the institute into a `hotbed of corruption`.
It may also be mentioned that in the said article, Laba had maintained that Sekharjit`™s wife wrote a letter to Th Chaoba `asking him to return the Rs 1 crore paid earlier to forestall the impeachment move and the CBI raids`, besides other alleged misdeeds of Sekharjit and his wife, regarding the ouster of Sekharjit from the directorship and the CBI raids which took place on September 12.
Subsequently, Chaoba had served a legal notice, asking Laba to give clarification and apologise regarding the allegations he had written about him in The Statesman article on September 23, within seven days of the notice; or face legal defamation suit for Rs 50 crores.