IMPHAL, June 15: Decrying the land acquisition of Kabo Leikai located under the Wangkhei assembly constituency in connection with the expansion of the Hotel Imphal into a 5 star hotel, the All Manipur Christian Organisation (AMCO) organized a press conference at the Manipur Press Club this afternoon and demanding the government to shift the construction to another location which will not affect the general public.
Speaking to media persons at the press club president AMCO Rev. S. Prim Vaiphei has termed the land acquisition notice served to the inhabitants of Kabo Leikai in North AOC area in Imphal East district as “discriminatory” and “undemocratic” and has appealed to the Governor of Manipur to issue immediate order for its withdrawal.
He has further stated that the state government has set apart the areas which are adjacent to hotel Imphal such as MPSC, Government Oil Depot and Tourism Directorate Office and instead are attempting to take over the land of the poor people residing at Kabo Leikai.
Such action of the government is amounting to discrimination and also a direct confrontation to secularism, he added.
He further mocked the Christian MLAs accusing them of trying to convert Christian churches into a luxury hotel and added that Christian MLAs have forgotten their election promises and the oath taken in the name of God to do work for justice enshrined in the Constitution of India.
The constitution of India protects the rights of the Christian minority, but here in Manipur such rights have come under tremendous threat from the government, it said, and has pledged that it will continue to strive for well being, communal harmony, peace and co-existence in the state.
One resident of the area who identified herself as Bina present during the press conference also said that the Kabo village located under the assembly constituency of Wangkhei has around 300 voters with 50 houses. And the total area is about 1.50 acre.
She further said that the village is settled by nine different communities since a very long time back.
She also added, “We do not want money, we love our land”. “We are unwilling to receive the said compensation of the government for the land and properties and we will fight until we die”, she added.