Congress hammers on with demand to have BJP reveal Framework Agreement contents

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Nov 17

In an intensified campaign to pressurise the BJP government to disclose the contents of Framework Agreement, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) today staged a sit-in-protest for the sixth day at Bishnupur Bazar, Bishnupur district headquarter.

The protest was held under the theme “Disclose the contents of Framework Agreement” and was organised by Bishnupur Block Congress Committee.

Former chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh giving his speech during the event said that Congress party had and will never compromise the state’s territorial boundary and integrity and urged the BJP government to also do the same.

He said during his tenure, he met many interlocutors and they said Naga’s demands were too great a risk when they don’t have any marked territorial boundary, flag and other essentials.

He also said that Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur will be affected by the demands of Greater Nagaland but the losses of the other two states are much less as compared to Manipur, which stands to lose about 70-80 per cent of its land area.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and the present Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh had promised before the election that there is nothing secretive in the FA and would do all it can to settle and respect the integrity of the state, but after the election, their speeches and colours have changed, he alleged.

NPF is a political wing of NSCN-IM and BJP taking them under their wing is a promise breaker, he said.

Ibobi asked what the stands of the BJP and NPF are on the issue of fighting to safeguard the state’s territorial boundary and integrity.

On recent announcement of special packages to the hill districts, the former Chief Minister also commented that there is a thing called budget and questioned how he could declare such amounts without the consent of the central government and the RBI.

He reiterated that the Look East Policy is now converted to Act East Policy but no actions have been taken by the government so far.

Former Deputy Chief Minister, Gaikhangam, in his turn said that the public has the right and power to know the contents of Framework Agreement and have been demanding since two years back, but is not disclosed till date. He said the contents must not be good if it is kept secret even after two years of signing the agreement.

Gaikhangam also asked why actions are not taken when Biren is welcomed in the hill districts with a board saying “Welcome to Nagaland” in the state itself. He asked as to why Biren who has state power in his hands now, is he not using this power while he can.

He also asked the name of the government in the state, “it cannot be called BJP party as it is made up of 3-4 parties, it also cannot be called just coalition party, it does not even have a name”, he said.

The MLA of Sugnu constituency, K. Ranjit said that if only the BJP government consulted Congress government of the state in 2001, the incident of July 18 would have never happened. But sadly that day is remembered as one of the blackest days in the history of Manipur, he said.

He also asked the stand of NPP, LJP and even NPF in dealing with the state at this important juncture. He also said that the government should have a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) being a coalition government, but has none. He asked the government to not only speak, but also to work.  

MPCC president T.N. Haokip, Thangmeiband constituency MLA, Th. Joykishan among others also spoke during the function. The leaders of the party notified that their campaign will continue and cover the remaining 54 constituencies of the state.