Rights activist moots scrapping VIP regime
IMPHAL, May 14 : `The Speaker was with the escort team when the incident occurred, his car was parked near the Kangla Western Gate, he saw the whole incident from the car and did not lift a finger to stop the assault,` Arambam Vandana, wife of Amitabh Arambam told mediapersons today at Manipur Press Club.
She was reacting against the allegation made by Manipur Assembly Secretary-in-charge, K Meghachandra that the Speaker was absent when the incident occurred. Meghachandra had clarified yesterday on behalf of Lokeshwar, who is still shying away from making a personal statement.
Vandana recounted that they were returning home after attending a birthday party with their children when the incident happened. The escort guards gave them no chance to explain but assaulted them immediately. They were hit from the rear and front with the child and herself inside the vehicle. When the guards started attacking her husband, she pleaded with them to stop but the guards also pushed her and verbally abused her, she said.
She was confused whether to calm her children or to stop the attack. At that time, a patrol of the Narcotic Cell had arrived, they knew the identity of her husband but did not do anything to stop the assault, she said.
`I had expected intervention from the Speaker as a family was hapless, he is someone who should be helping the public. But, no response came from him and he was watching the series of incidents, the whole time.` She added that her children are still traumatized on the brutality meted to their father.
The attitude of the Speaker is unbecoming of his post, his blatant misuse of power against the public is a clear violation of human rights. She questioned further on how an escort commander and team attack a policeman without permission. `It is a fact that without the approval of the Speaker, the escort cannot act on their own whims and hence he is the main perpetrator,` she added. When the report was lodged at City police, she had mentioned that the Speaker escort attacked them. However, in the FIR, the name of the Speaker was omitted.
Human Rights Alert Director, Babloo Loitongbam added that the incident shows that the VIPs have ruled the roost and perpetrated abuses to the public as they think themselves untouchable. `Crimes by VIPs are not crimes, but those done by the public are against the law and punished,` he said that the public should outright condemn such wanton abuse of authority by individuals in power and start campaigning to abolish this VIP culture. `Making the pilot commander a sacrificial lamb is a plot by the Government machinery to save the Speaker, the rule of law must apply to everyone bring into existence a true democracy,` he said.
According to other human right activist present at Manipur Press Club, this is the first time that a public servant, Arambam Amitabh has outright challenged the dictatorial VIP system prevalent in the State, to whose whims the government office favors their close aides and punishes those who are not in their good books. They stated that this claim of human rights and justice shall not be compromised in any manner or duress.
According to credible sources, the Speaker incident which was highlighted in the national media has reached the AICC.