BJP claims KRA cadres assaulted 13 workers for not supporting Congress candidate
IMPHAL, June 3: Two days after the Autonomous District Council election was held in the hills of the State, political parties and their candidates continue to hurl allegations against each other.
If the run-up to the election was marked by constant mudslinging among the political parties, post the June 1 polls, there have been demands of re-poll from candidates and political parties citing allegations of UG cadres supporting a particular candidate and party, booth capture, mass proxy voting, assault of party workers and supporters among many other allegations.
BJP general secretary Administration M Asnikumar led team today visited hospitals where party supporters allegedly assaulted last night for not supporting another national party are getting treatment.
According to the BJP, 13 of its workers were allegedly assaulted by cadres of the KRA for not supporting the Congress and have to be admitted at different hospitals in the State capital.
Three of them are admitted at the RIMS, nine at the Kuki Christian Hospital, Dewlahland and one at Raj Medi-City, North AOC.
According to family members of some of the injured, the night after the ADC poll, around 30-40 cadres of the KRA many of whom were armed with AK-47s came to Lhungjang Village under 18-Lhungjang DCC, Saikul AC and called out nine youth of the village who are active workers of the BJP.
They claimed that the youth who were all aged between 18-19 years were assaulted by the KRA cadres.
At the same time, in another village of the same constituency Ankhunbung Village, some more youth were called out and mercilessly assaulted, they alleged.
Speaking on the sideline of the visit, Asnikumar said such incident is highly condemnable and we have already submitted a detailed report of the incidents to the BJP national president and the concern central ministry.
He said it is surprising that the armed cadres of the KRA which is a SoO signatory group were allowed free movement outside their camps.
Further questioning what the State government and the central para-military forces doing when the incident happened, he said such incident is a total violation of rights.
He further demanded the State government to take action against the SoO cadres for violating their ground rules and assaulting civilians and claimed the party is fully aware of who is behind the incident.
Such incident has only made it all the more clear that there is no governance in the hill areas, he claimed.
He further claimed that in four villages of Saikul area under 22 Kumuching DCC, not a single voter was allowed to cast their votes.
Asnikumar further identified the villages as Molkongbung village, L Molnom Village, Gotangkot Village and C Moljol village.
He said in this regard, he along with the party`™s candidate Th Anek Vaiphei had submitted a complaint report to the concern officials seeking re-poll in these villages, which has not been considered still by the Kangpokpi RO.
He further alleged that at 21/1 Khamenlok Polling Station under Chindaikhullen DCC, the poll was conducted in a peaceful manner, however certain officials are seeking re-poll there in favour of the non-BJP candidates.
Asni also asserted that according to the party`™s Tamei office, the NSCN (I) openly supported the NPF and conducted proxy voting openly in support of the NPF candidates.
He said there was no election in the area, but it was an open selection of NPF candidate for the ADC seat.
Whereas at 3-Khunphung DCC Piulong Polling Station under Tamei AC, the entire village was unable to reach the polling station to vote, however, the RO has reported that voting was conducted in a peaceful manner, he further claimed.
Due to proxy voting at Sagang DCC 20/2 Changpikot Polling Station and 2 Leimatak DCC 2/13 Teijang Polling Station in Churachandpur poll percentage reached 100percent, however, the DC has not included these two polling stations in the re-poll recommendation list, he asserted.