IMPHAL, May 31: The observation of the Great June Uprising every year on June 18 in the State will remind the people of the BJP`™s misdeed which brought much misfortune to the State, Works and Transport minister Dr Kh Ratankumar attacked the BJP.
He said the soul of the 18 martyrs who laid down their lives on this day in 2001 will always curse the then BJP led NDA government under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for including the words `without territorial integrity`™ while signing the cease fire extension with the NSCN (IM) leading to much unrest in the State.
It was the BJP which ignited the unrest leading to the loss of 18 lives, Ratankumar claimed while speaking at a formal function welcoming new supporters of the Congress from Mayang Imphal at Leihaothabam Nando Sharma Mandop, Kokchai today.
The function was organised by the party`™s unit committees of Kokchai Makha Leikai and Awang Leikai.
It is time for the people to launch a non-cooperation movement against the BJP, he asserted.
Continuing his tirade against the BJP, the minister said the recent identifying of North Easterners as `immigrants`™ in the BJP`™s manifesto for the Delhi Assembly election was condemnable.
The BJP has always given false promises and assurances to the public, he said.
Even if there is a BJP government in the Centre, Manipur will continue to get its funding as was the case when Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat while the Congress was leading the UPA government, he continued.
Ratankumar also charge the narendra modi led government of being anti-Manipur, anti-poor and anti-farmers.
He said the BJP is pro-corporate which is evident from the fact that the NDA government in the recent budget omitted the wealth tax, reduced the corporate tax from 30 percent to 25 percent, whereas suicide rate of farmers has increased since the BJP came into power.
At the same time, the BJP led NDA government has curbed the growth of several benchmark policies of the UPA, he said.
Elaborating further on the issue, the Works and Transport minister said the BJP led government reduced the budget allocation for the Mid-day meal scheme from Rs 12,100 crores to Rs 6,232 crores, for ICDS allocation was reduced from Rs 16,316 crores to Rs 8,000 crores.
He continued the Modi led government had even tried to fully abolish the MGNREGS, however, it was saved due to acute pressure from the opposition
The Special State category has also been withdrawn by the BJP affecting 11 States including the eight States of the North East, Ratankumar continued.
Welcoming the new supporters, the minister said although the State Assembly election is due on 2017, it is time to gather new supporters to bring more development.
People don`™t join the Congress just to get a party affiliation, but with a desire to bring development, he asserted.
Mayang Imphal is already shining in the field of sports by producing recipients of several awards including the Arjuna Award, but it has also potential to do better in other fields as well, minister Ratankumar who is also the local MLA said.
