IMPHAL, October 5: The Zeliangrong Youth Front, AMN has termed that the Consumers Affairs, Food and Public Disribution’s denial to allot rice meant for the Tamenglong district on the alleged reason that the district administration had failed to clear the balance due amount of Rs.17 lakhs out of the Rs.25 lakhs incurred last year, as violation of right to food against the people of the district.
In a press statement, the body has stated that not allotting the most basic item and depriving the district of its rice quota in such a critical juncture and situation on such flimsy grounds by the state government is a deliberate act which amounts to imposing economic blockade to the people of the Tamenglong district.
The Zeliangrong Youth Front (ZYF) has as such strongly warned the CAF&PD department not to play with the life of the Zeliangrong people.
It has further mentioned that whenever any agitations enforced restriction of vehicular movements on the national highways, the government has deployed maximum security forces and arranged escorts for truckers to enable ferrying of goods and commodities from Jiribam and as such large quantities of commodities and petroleum products are brought to Imphal for the purpose of equal public distribution.
It has further mentioned that being citizens of the country, the people of the district have highlighted the hardships and problems of the authority concerned but the plight and sufferings of the people have remained unattended.
The people of the district does not envy the mobile sale or open sale of any kinds of trafing carried out in Imphal, but the govt. is advised to leave out the rice meant for the district and other essentials commodities quota without lifting it if the same is not meant for the purpose of distribution to the genuine and legitimate people of the district, it has added.
Lifting of such basic essential commodities but without the knowledge and giving out to the genuinely entitled people is a crime, therefore, the people of Tamenglong district may seek the help of any appropriate forum including law courts to assert their right to life and also to protect the democratic citizen rights of the district if the Manipur govt continue to lift the district quota of essential commodities and others without distribution to the people of the district. The Zeliangrong Youth Front (Assam, Manipur & Nagaland) demanded that the district quota which had already been lifted should be distributed to the people immediately, it added.
