IMPHAL, September 20: Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam has termed the remark made by Nagaland’s MP regarding the three bills passed by the Manipur Assembly as irresponsible.
Regarding the reports of Mizoram’s Chief Minister writing a letter to the Prime Minister against the three bills, he said a complaint has been made to the Congress Party’s high command regarding the issue.
He said if there was anything the Mizoram CM wanted to comment on, then it should have been discussed within the party members first before going public.
“What he did was very unfortunate,” Gaikhangam said.
The Deputy Chief Minister said this while responding to the questions raised by media persons speaking on the sidelines of the closing ceremony function of 3rd North East Zone Shooting Championship 2015 held at Shooting Range, Khuman Lampak today.
He further said that the remark made by Nagaland MP is very unfortunate and is highly condemnable because in normal cases also people usually do not interfere in family matters. It is simply not right for a leader of a State to interfere in another State’s issue, he said.
“I on behalf of the State government as well as Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee would like to say that we are displeased with this act and also would like to make an appeal to all not to repeat such acts in the future.”
“It would to better for these people to keep your own houses in order instead of meddling in other’s affairs,” Gaikhangam further said.
“Focus your thoughts in managing your own state of affairs. We (Manipur Government) have no interest in meddling in other’s affairs so we will not do it in the future too and have never done it in the pass as well,” Gaikhangam reiterated.
Since time immemorial the hills and the valley peoples of Manipur have been living together with love and care. In a society there will be the good and the bad. It is pretty normal to have some black sheep among us, he maintained.
When asked about the initiatives taken up by State government to solve the Churachandpur issue, he replied that the state government is trying its best through various channels to bring the agitators to the table for talks.
“We hope that one day they will surely agree to have a dialogue with the State government. If there is a beginning to an issue there should also be an end to it as well,” he said.
“We have repeatedly said this earlier also that if there is a misunderstanding or misconception or difference in opinions then let us sit down together to find out where it is wrong and by correcting it we can move forward,” the Dy CM maintained.
Laws are created for the welfare of all section of the society in the State. If there is anything that hurts the interest of any community then it is pretty obvious that the government will correct it. However we need to sit together to find out where it is wrong, Gaikhangam said calling the attention of the anti-bills agitators.
“Sometimes arguments or confrontations among family members are natural but that does not mean we are going to break the bonding of the family relationship,” he said.
When asked about the reports of some MLAs representing the Assembly Constituencies in hill districts submitting their resignation letters under the demand of the JAC spearheading the anti-bills movement, he replied that the issue here is very sensitive and government has not discussed the technicality of it. “Our focus for the time being is how to calm the situation down,” he added.
“Also considering the boiling situation I don’t want to comment much on that. We are looking for a solution to subside the situation in the hills first,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.
When asked whether the third invitation which he mentioned a few days ago while attending the foundation day function of AMBA and the following day at the AMWJU foundation day function had been sent, he replied that the government is still looking for channels to send out the third invitation.
“We are still look for the right time and right persons,” he reiterated.
When asked why the government representatives have not visited Churachandpur or any other places where the situation is tense, he said “we will go there but first we want to create conducive atmosphere there. We need to handle the situation very tactfully.”
The government has made every effort to bring normalcy in the hill districts and the situation is slowly getting better, he maintained.
When asked what happened to what he said earlier that the government would be sending some high ranking government representatives, including the chief secretary, he said “the agitators had responded to the call and submitted a charter of demands with three points but they withdrew it the following day, under whose influence we are not sure”.
When asked about the MPCC’s stand on Thangso Baite’s reported recent suggestion of splitting the state into two Union Territories to solve the present crisis in State, he said that Thangso Baite’s has already made the clarification thought the media that he never made those remarks.
Gaikhangam also added that MP Thangso Baite himself told him on the phone that he never said such things and that they (the agency which took the report) are confused with the statement made by the Nagaland’s MP with him.
Gaikhangam quoted the MP as saying “I am not mad to I make such comments”.
