LAMKA, Sept 22: With the protest for the repeal of the three bills passed in the Manipur State Assembly on the August 31 reaching a climax, but with no sign of immediate respite, the four former MLAs of the NPF, visited Churachandpur to pay homage to the nine tribal martyrs.
The NPF MLAs had resigned on September 4, to protest the bills four days after they were passed, and after the Churachandpur public rose in violent protest.
The four ex-MLAs namely LDikho of 48 Maoa/c, Samuel Rison of Ukhrul 44a/c, Victor Nunghbung of 41 Chandel a/c and Alexander Pao of 47 Karong a/c, accompanied by their party`s state president A.Kamei and his secretary, met the JAC Against Anti-Tribal Bills leaders at their office at KKL complex after which they held a press conferences where they said they have come to show their solidarity with the victims and the people in general.
The NPF Manipur president said that they are shock at the security force shooting the nine people which he said will not go in vain.
He said that the proper procedure for passing bills was compromise by the Assembly Speaker. The state government had played a role in such a manner that the Speaker acted without proper procedure while passing the three bills.
He said the four NPF members alone were ready and armed to oppose the bills but they were not given the opportunity to do so.
The leader also said that the Manipur State Commando who tried to get hold of and target student union`s leader, particularly ATSUM, must stop immediately saying that democracy was compromised.
`Where is democracy?` he asked and said the police forces and the Government must stop this harassment. He also asked if the police who were hounding the ATSUM leaders, had arrest warrants with them.
The NPF leader resigned to oppose the anti-tribal bills and we wanted to empower the hill people as per the constitution and we request all the other tribal MLAs to resign, though we can`t force them, he said.
On the question of the impact of the resignation, the president said it is having an impact.
On the question of the four days delay in the four MLAs`™ resignation, he said that they had timed the resignation to have maximum impact though the four MLA had offer to resign on the evening of August 31 itself.
“We talked first with the centre and our party leader from the neighbouring state and then did the resignation on the 4th”, he explained.
The ex-MLA of Ukhrul Samual also warned of intense agitation from September 31.
Meanwhile from September 1 till today, the Joint Peoples`™ Organisation, JPO, has received monetary donations of approximately Rs. 36 lakh.
Today itself, the JPO collected more than Rs. 3.4 lakhs as donation at their reception which didn`t include The Rs.100 per household collected for the victims`™ families who decided not to accept ex-Gratia money from the state government.