IMPHAL, June 11: An attempt by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel posted at the gate of the state Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh’s official bungalow to body search some state Cabinet Ministers reportedly led to a heated commotion this evening.
The Ministers who had rushed after the end of the day’s Assembly sitting for a state cabinet meeting left the CM’s bungalow fuming leading to the cabinet meeting being cancelled, informed a reliable source.
It is learnt that a state cabinet meeting was called at 4:30pm in order to discuss certain agendas. The Chief Minister had in the meantime preceded the cabinet Ministers and was already inside the bungalow with the Ministers arriving at the bungalow one after the other.
The CISF personnel posted at the CM bungalow gate stopped the Ministers and after asking them to enter their names in the Visitor Register, tried to body search them individually using hand held metal detectors.
The state cabinet Ministers including PHED Minister I Hemochandra Singh tried to clear up the incident by stating that they were the Chief Minister’s council of Ministers, and were the state Cabinet Ministers, the source said.
It is also said that the Minister told the personnel that they are frequent visitors of the Chief Minister and further asked the CISF personnel whether they could not recognise the Ministers.
Even after listening to the clarification of the Ministers, the CISF personnel remained adamant that they were only performing their duties under the instruction of their higher ups, the source said.
The reply of the CISF personnel only heated up the commotion leading to a stand-off between the two sides, said the source.
At last, the cabinet Ministers who were fuming by the time left without attending the cabinet meeting, said the source.