Govt can’t be held at ransom

Serious efforts are on to solve problems, says Biren

IMPHAL | Aug 19

No organisation or individual should hold the state government at ransom to fulfill any demand.  The present government is fully aware about the issues besieging the State and it has been putting in serious effort to resolve all these issues, said N Biren.

The chief minister was speaking as the chief guest at the State level Sadbhavana Diwas celebration organised by the State Government at the Banquet Hall of 1st Battalion Manipur Rifles today.

Reminding that Nungei violence was reported during the time of the previous government, the chief minister clarified that the file process of providing compensation to the victims was initiated by the then government.

The compensation amount was fixed as per the reports submitted by the DC and SP concerned, and there was no question of supporting a particular community or discriminating any other group, he added.

Asserting that the government is meant for all the communities, the chief minister said that he even requested his Cabinet ministers not to bring any community-based or region-centric matters to the State Cabinet meeting.

The government does not belong to any community or region, and it ought to work towards bringing uniform development across the State, he observed.

Biren further opined that Manipur would not be able to march forward towards progress if people keep on remembering the past mistakes and discussing it repeatedly.

He said, “We need to keep away distrust and give up self-centric and community-centric ideas if we aspire to project Manipur in the global race of development.”

The chief minister expressed hope that the civil voluntary organisations of the State would extend co-operation towards this end.

Stating that Sadbhavana Diwas is celebrated on the birthday of the youngest ever Prime Minister of the country, Rajiv Gandhi every year, the chief minister opined that the celebration assumed lots of significance in a State like Manipur where people of diverse communities have been settling together harmoniously.

During his speech, the chief minister remembered the works and achievements of the late Prime Minister.

 Speaking at the occasion as the president, agriculture and veterinary and animal husbandry minister V. Hangkhanlian remembered Rajiv Gandhi as a leader who dreamt of building a new India.

He had the acumen of noticing all the challenges in advance which could pose threat to the integrity and development of the country.

Maintaining that resolving all the discords on the negotiating table was Rajiv Gandhi’s policy, Hangkhanlian said that he was instrumental in inking Punjab Accord in 1985 and Mizoram Accord in 1986 that brought peace and tranquillity to these two States.

The State also needs to follow his idea of peaceful negotiation in order to restore normalcy, peace and tranquillity, V. Hangkhanlian observed.

Later, the chief minister administered Sadbhavana pledge to the gathering.

Ministers, MLAs, top civil and police officers and government employees also attended the function.