IMPHAL, April 5: A democratic land cannot be governed at gun-point. The aspiration to come to power by threatening people with guns should be forsaken and cannot allow such aspirations to be realised. Any ambition to break up Manipur will be defeated by the coming election’s result.
This was stated by the state chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh during an election campaign of Congress candidate for the Outer Parliamentary seat, Thangsho Baite.
The campaign was held at the Multi-purpose community hall, Kakching Mayai Leikai.
India is a democracy and Manipur is a ‘small India’. In a democracy, elections occupy an important place, he said.
Continuing his charges against several parties of being community and religion based, Ibobi said that India holds all religion and communities to be the same.
And as such parties like BJP and the NPF should not be strengthened, and they cannot be entrusted with the reins of the land, he asserted.
The seven segments of Thoubal district and Jiribam will act as the deciding factor for the poll result of the Outer seat, Ibobi asserted.
The voters cannot be threatened with guns in these segments, he said before declaring that it will teach the candidates aspiring of being in power by threatening the voters with guns and the outfits behind them.
Without naming the outfit concerned, and by citing the reported threatening of the Ukhrul BJP office yesterday, the chief minister said that the act of the outfit behind NPF threatening people in the hill districts to vote for their candidate is unacceptable.
Ibobi further elaborated on the issue of unity and said all the communities of the land are brothers and sisters.
He said the election of a Muslim during the recent election of Rajya Sabha MP has not only gratified the minority community but also shows the party’s thinking of ‘living together’.
He further appealed to the people to defeat the parties aspiring to break Manipur and which are based on religion and communal lines.
The meeting was attended by thousands of people.
Speaking at the meeting, MPCC president Gaikhangam said that the BJP is dreaming of getting majority in the election and spreading false propaganda amongst the public and trying to portray Congress in the wrong light.
NPF has been trying hard to break Manipur, he said.
In such a situation we cannot remain silent. This year’s election in an important one and we need to unite as one, he asserted.
He continued that from the activities of the NPF leader Neiphiu Rio it seems like MP should be selected and not elected by popular vote.
However, he further said that the Congress party will not remain as silent spectators and will draw the attention of the ECI.
Gaikhangam further expressed that the interference of the NSCN (IM) in the election process of the Indian Constitution indicates that they have given their consent to Indian Parliamentary democracy.
So, they should come out openly and contest the election, Gaikhangam added.
He also made an appeal to Nagaland CM Rio to stop giving wrong message while conducting election campaign in the hill districts of Manipur.
