The 14-page document titled “5 years of Darkness in Manipur under BJP misrule” compiled BJP’s lies from its own election manifesto of 2017 and the party’s Vision Document.
TFM Desk
Jairam Ramesh, senior congress leader and the party’s senior observer for Manipur on Thursday tore apart the claims of the BJP with reference to the state’s development and the manifesto of the party released on the same day.
While terming the BJP manifesto for the ensuing Manipur Assembly Election 2022 as “haijinbi” (mere lip-service), the Congress leader also questioned BJP on the promises made in the manifesto.
While the Congress had more to say on the BJP manifesto for Manipur election 2022, the party also picked holes in the claims of the BJP-led government in the last five years. Making a scathing attack on the five years of “darkness” in Manipur under BJP led government (2017-2022), the Congress also released a point to point remarks countering the party’s claims.
The 14-page document titled “5 years of Darkness in Manipur under BJP misrule” compiled BJP’s “lies” from its own election manifesto of 2017 and the party’s Vision Document.
On the promise to ensure one job opportunity to every household, the Congress said this has not been materialised.
Instead, all available new permanent government jobs have been converted into contractual jobs by State Cabinet’s decision. Many recruitment examinations and interviews were conducted and the results were never published for years till date.
The Congress said that giving piped drinking water to every household has also not been materialised as lakhs of households exist without pipe connection for drinking water and no household has provision for daily running drinking water even in the heart of capital city. There are no pipes in the interior high areas of the hills, pointed out the Congress.
The party also said that the BJP’s promise to connect every district with all-weather 4 lane roads has not been materialised. All the newly created districts even don’t have all-weather one lane road. No tender was invited for constructing all-weather 4 lane roads for connecting all the districts in the state by the state government in the last 5 years.
Giving free education to women till graduation has also not been materialised and no single women’s graduate college has been established in the last 5 years. No women’s graduate scholarship was launched by the state government. No free education was made to be available to girl students from class 9 to graduate level in government schools and colleges. No free education was made to be available to girl students from nursery till class 8 in private schools in the state, said the Congress.
The promise to investigate fake encounters and corruption cases and punish the guilty has not been materialised. No conviction of any accused involved in fake encounters and corruption cases registered in the last 5 years. Government agencies under BJP misrule freed the guilty, instead of collecting strong evidence and reliable witnesses against the accused in court of law, said the party.
EMPLOYMENT
The Congress also recalled Manipur’s BJP Chief Minister who in October 2017 promised to provide 1.5 lakhs of employment every year through different government departments, thereby creating
7.5 lakhs of employment in 5 years from 2017 to 2022. The party pointed out that the reality stating that there has been no official notification on recruitment for 7.5 vacant posts in the entire government departments of the state in the last 5 years.
The Congress said that Manipur’s PWD & Works Minister in July 2017 promised to provide 7.5 lakhs of employment in the state in 5 years. However, the reality is that the results of the recruitment examinations, on a few hundreds of posts, conducted by the Minister’s departments are being put on hold unannounced for years till date in the last 5 years.
FINANCE
The party also stated that the RBI banned all withdrawals from state government’s exchequer due to the excessive overdraft of the state’s financial health, which exceeded the agreed limits between the RBI and the state government in 2019 June.
Almost 89% of the annual state budget is dependent on the central funding for the last 5 years, thereby making the financial growth of the state in a de-accelerating manner for future economic development, claimed the Congress.
The Congress also alleged that the Finance Department has been copying and pasting, by changing figures for every year, in all the annual budgets, Economic Survey Reports of Manipur, etc.., thereby making the readers believe that the state government has no vision for the better financial health of the state in the last 5 years.
In the history of India’s independence, it is unprecedented to have a state Finance Minister who, by government’s order being directed from Chief Minister, was made to limit authorization of funds only upto Rs 2 crore, while any fund beyond Rs 2 crore had to go through the Chief Minister.
TRADE & COMMERCE
The Congress claimed that there were unauthorised hindrance and harassment by Assam Rifles under Union Home Ministry of India on fee movement of goods, traders and Indian tourists and locals going to or coming from international Moreh town at India-Myanmar border of Manipur, has completely ridiculed rule of law and fundamental rights of citizens of the country, besides disturbing the high potential commercial flow between the two countries under Act East.
INFRASTRUCTURE
The party also said that there were no new infrastructural development in district headquarters of newly created districts of the state in the last 5 years including incompletion of building of New Secretariat Complex of the state in Imphal in the last 5 years. The infrastructural establishment required for National Sports University in Manipur in the last 5 years is not complete yet, said the Congress.
There is non-functional ISBT (Inter State Bus Terminus), which was dedicated by the then Congress government, in the last 5 years of BJP’s misrule. No new district court has ever been proposed to be built in all the newly created districts in the last 5 years, claimed the party.
There has been no new infrastructure for building new district hospital in all the newly created districts in the last 5 years.
ENVIRONMENT
The Congress also stated that the BJP led government was inviting and encouraging a few private companies to extract minerals and natural resources of the state and that it is a pathway to irreversibly destroy environment and biodiversity of Manipur.
Oil Palm Project in Manipur by BJP misrule is going to convert the entire ecosystem of Manipur into an uninhabitable place, bereft of sustainability, for the future generations, said the party.
CATTLE SMUGGLING FROM MYANMAR
The Congress also pointed out that there were illegal smuggling and transportation of cows and oxen from Myanmar to India’s Manipur through porous borders in the last 5 years.
COMMISSIONS
Manipur Vigilance Commission has become completely dysfunctional in the last 5 years with no record of registering cases followed by subsequently consequent FIRs against officers, government employees, etc., said the Congress.
It also said that there was no appointment of full time Chairperson of Manipur Human Rights Commission with adequate numbers of members of the Commission, which is headed by Acting Chairperson.
BORDER ISSUE
The Congress said that there was no serious attempts have been made from both the centre and the state to resolve the India-Myanmar border issue in border pillars guarding Manipur. Instead, the BJP misrule transferred the then Deputy Commissioner of the border Tengnoupal District for disclosing the border encroachment by Myanmar Army in India’s territory of Manipur.
AFSPA
Manipur Human Rights Commission directed the BJP led state government to lift up Disturbed Areas status from Manipur and further observes that the state government should urge the centre to repeal AFSPA. So far, the BJP misrule has retrospectively imposed AFSPA in the state, said the Congress.
BJP misrule brought Inner Line Permit in Manipur, as a reply to pacify the protests held against Citizenship Amendment Act in the state. But, the ILP has failed to define Manipur’s indigenous people with a base year. Thereby, the ILP is reduced to a mere administrative permit with no constitutional protection of the indigenous people of the state for future existence, argued the Congress.
NAGA PEACE TALKS
Naga Peace talk has been kept in the dark for years after the signing of Naga Framework Agreement in the presence of Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi. Failure to disclose the contents of the Naga Peace Agreement has dishonoured the peace loving Naga people in Manipur and the entire North East India, said the party.
ILLEGAL FOREIGNERS’ ISSUES
The Congress also claimed that BJP misrule, both in the centre and the state, has failed to protect Manipur from the illegal influx of nationals from Myanmar and Bangladesh.
CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
BJP, both in the centre and the state, has failed to provide constitutional and legal protection to the indigenous population of Manipur.
INSTITUTES OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE
The Congress said that there was no establishment of any Institute of National Importance such as AIIMS, IIT, IISER, IIM, etc. in Manipur in the last 5 years and there was no establishment of any new central university in Manipur in the last 5 years. The government has also failed to establish any new government post-graduate or graduate non-professional courses’ college in the last 5 years. There was also no establishment of Forensic Laboratory of national repute in Manipur in the last 5 years.
MPSC
Manipur Public Service Commission despite having two retired Lt Generals of India Army as its Chairmen – has become a complete failure in the last 5 years by not holding a single recruitment examination for civil services in Manipur, rued the Congress.
ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS
Unlike Congress government which created a policy of making Manipur Police Service Officers as SP of a district, the BJP’s 5 years misrule has failed to make a policy of posting Manipur Civil Services Officers as DM of a district in the state, claimed the Congress.
Digital Manipur has become a complete failure for transparency and accountability as government websites are not being updated on real time, with no official verified twitter accounts of the state government, state administration & police and district administration, it has also been pointed out.
E-filing of BJP government has failed to bring transparency in governance in the state, claimed the Congress while stating that E-tender with high negative bidding below zero has become unprecedented in BJP’s 5 years of misrule, thereby giving room for manipulations to favourably pre-decide the outcome of the bidding. The party said that there was also the failure to issue work order after inviting tender and completion of bidding for a complete financial year of 2021-22 by Works Department of the state government, is a clear signal of no developmental work in the whole year. The fund, which could have been utilized duly, has been traceless, thereby giving room for misappropriation or mismanagement of public money by BJP government.
CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS
The Congress also said that BJP’s misrule has dishonoured Constitution of India on the floor of the House in Manipur Legislative Assembly during no-confidence motion, which was passed without voting on division, despite being demanded by the Opposition Congress in the House. Unprecedentedly, the House passed the no-confidence motion in voice vote despite objection to the voice vote being raised by the Opposition Congress.
The party also stated that there was the highest number of legal cases against the Speaker — who is also BJP MLA – of Manipur Legislative Assembly in Supreme Court of India and High Court of Manipur took place in the last 5 years of BJP’s misrule in the history of the state since the attainment of statehood.
DRUGS CRIMES & POLITICAL NEXUS
Drugs crimes have increased during BJP’s 5 years of misrule in which the names of the post of Chief Minister of Manipur and Director General of Police of Manipur are being mentioned in the judgment of the Special Judge, NDPS Court in the state in the infamous Zou case, which has acquitted the main accused who threatened the police to call the Chief Minister. So far, the BJP government has maintained a stoic silence in filing an appeal against the judgment in High Court of Manipur, despite public protests and demands to go for the appeal in the higher court, said the Congress.
FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT & REGRESSIVE FINANCIAL POLICY
Mismanagement of Rs 485 crores from central assistance meant for MNREGA in Manipur took place under BJP’s misrule, claimed the Congress while there was no effective implementation of 7ᵗʰ Central Pay Commission in toto in Manipur for its state government employees and pensioners under BJP’s misrule. Instead of ensuring Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief for state government employees and pensioners at 28% under the 7ᵗ CPC, the BJP government fixes it so low at 7% in Manipur.
GOLD SMUGGLING & POLITICAL NEXUS
The Congress party also said that a lady MPS officer filed a written complaint to DGP Manipur on illegal gold smuggling of gold bars, in which she named some relatives and family members of the BJP Chief Minister, and the complaint is being received and registered in DGP’s office. So far, the whole BJP’s misrule has kept the complaint in dark and there has been no investigation to find even the veracity of the written complaint, which is fit to be sent for CBI & ED investigation, said the Congress.
INCLUSIVE JUDICIARY
Manipur Chief Minister has no vision for the better future of advocates’ Bar from Manipur, which has got its High Court during Congress rule. The BJP Chief Minister has not recommended or pushed to the centre for making one Chief Justice in any High Court of the country from the High Court of Manipur.
COVID DEATH & MISMANAGEMENT
Manipur has high covid deaths, which was 149 in terms of deaths per million population while national death average was 176, as per PIB press release. It is more than those of Assam and other bigger states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Gujarat and Telangana. BJP’s misrule has failed to control the high covid deaths average in Manipur.
No compensation to the next kin of those who died due to covid or whose death certificate has been declared with covid by the government, as per the terms fixed and decided by the Supreme Court’s ruling on covid death compensation, in Manipur, said the Congress.
No detailed expenditure documents on financial transactions to deal with covid’s 1ˢᵗ and 2‘ᵈ wave by BJP government to the people of Manipur so far, the Congress pointed out.
Under BJP’s misrule, no Oxygen Express train came to Manipur’s Jiribam railway station, when Oxygen Express trains were transporting Liquid Medical Oxygen in many states of the country during oxygen crisis in fight against covid, said the party. It also added that there was no reply from the BJP state government exists till date on how many crores of rupees were received from the centre by the state for fighting covid in the 2ⁿᵈ wave. BJP’s misrule has removed Health Minister during covid crisis, thereby making Chief Minister hold additional charge of the Health in unsuccessfully combating covid in Manipur, claimed the Congress.
UNDECLARED EMERGENCY: RIGHT TO LIFE UNDER THREAT
Right to life and personal liberty, enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution of India, has been repeatedly violated during BJP’s 5 years of misrule in Manipur. Aggrieved citizens, activists, journalists, and youths, who were expressing opinions, were slapped with NSA and other stringent laws and were released only after knocking at the door of justice in Supreme Court and High Court of Manipur, said the Congress.
FARMERS’ FERTILIZERS
The party said that the farmers’ plight in purchasing fertilizers was at its peak as scarcity of fertilizers brought lakhs of farmers into a deep distress for agricultural production sustenance and livelihood.
CHIEF MINISTER’S IRRATIONAL POLICY & CULTURAL DISTORTION
The BJP Chief Minister proposed to name all the districts of Manipur after respective fruits of the districts in 2020 January, but such irrational policy of BJP led government was ridiculed and rejected by the people, stated the Congress.
The party also stated that the BJP Chief Minister distorted the cultural history and civilization of Manipur in Gujarat’s Madhavpur in 2018 March. The distortion of cultural history of Manipur was heavily criticised and rejected by the entire people of Manipur from across the globe.
GOVERNOR’S FAVOUR NEGATED BY SUPREME COURT
Governor of Manipur gave oath to a Minister in 2017 March. After 3 years, in 2020 March, Supreme Court stripped the Minister of his office and prevented him from going in the Legislative Assembly, said the Congress adding that its misrule has destroyed the Constitution of India in broad daylight.
IMMORALITY IN PUBLIC LIFE
BJP’s 5 years of misrule has promoted immorality in public life, as BJP Ministers have failed to have social declaration on their publicly acknowledged number of wives besides their legally wedded wives.
POLITICAL VENDETTA
FIRs, coloured with political vendetta, have been registered against 4 Congress MLAs of the Opposition while there has been no FIR against any BJP MLA during 5 years of BJP’s misrule in the state. It clearly vindicates the politicisation of state police and agencies to scuttle the democratic voice of the Opposition, pointed out the Congress.
UNION CABINET MINISTER ON SLOW PROGRESS OF PROJECTS
The Congress also recalled how the Union Cabinet Minister Nitin Gadkari publicly reprimanded Chief Minister for slow progress of projects in Manipur in 2021 July. It clearly shows that BJP state government has no seriousness in developing Manipur on an accelerating mode in the 21ˢᵗ century.
HEALTH INFRASTRUCTUE — RIMS & JNIMS
BJP’s 5 years of misrule has failed to even build one super-speciality block – such as neurosurgery, neuroradiology super-speciality blocks, etc. – in RIMS. It shows that BJP governments, both in the centre and the state, had no interest in providing quality medical treatment with top research facilities for the people of Manipur. BJP’s 5 years of misrule has failed to even construct one super-speciality block for neurosurgery or neuroradiology in JNIMS. It justifies that the BJP state government and Chief Minister, who is the Chairman of JNIMS Society, have no seriousness in developing JNIMS to a level of susper-speciality research and facilities for the patients of Manipur, said the Congress.
COVID DOCTORS
Reduction of the daily remuneration of covid warriors in the form of Medical Officers, who were engaged in covid 1ˢᵗ wave and 2ⁿᵈ wave, by l/3ʳᵈ of their initial daily remuneration, with no future of absorption or conversion of the contractual appointments into permanent posts, have demoralized and dehumanized all the covid doctors working in covid centres under Health Department of Government of Manipur. It shows that BJP state gover+iment has no seriousness in fighting against covid pandemic in all the phases of covid wave in the state, said the party.
BJP’S OFFICE BUILDING v. NEW STATE SECRETARIAT COMPLEX
In the last 5 years of BJP’s misrule, the foundation of BJP office was laid and the building of the office was inaugurated in Imphal while BJP state government failed to inaugurate the New State Secretariat Complex in Imphal in the entire 5 years, claimed the Congress.
SELLING OFF OF IMPHAL AIRPORT
BJP misrule, in the centre and the state, has moved to privatise the only airport — Bir Tikendrajit International Airport in Imphal. It is the beginning of selling off the public assets meant for the people of Manipur by BJP government to a few crony capitalists.
DISHONOUR OF UNIVERSITY & ACADEMIC ATMOSPHERE
BJP misrule brought unrest and complete shutdown of peaceful academic atmosphere in Manipur University. Professors were handcuffed by state police, and students were traumatized and violently suppressed by BJP state government for exercising freedom of expression with democratic protest, said the Congress.
POWER
Despite having pre-paid electricity in Manipur, there has been power cuts in the state. There has been no free power units provided to the customers for home consumption in the state. The absence of rapid installation of pre-paid electricity system in the hills of Manipur indicates a power divide between the hills and the valley.
HILLS & TRIBAL DEVELOPMENT
Despite having ADC (Autonomous District Council) bodies in the hills, the ADC elections are being put on hold by the BJP state government, thereby taking away the local democratic representation for inclusive development in the hills under BJP misrule, said the Congress.
No new infrastructural development of civil secretariat, district police headquarters, district courts complexes, etc., for district headquarters of the newly created hill districts of Manipur under BJP regime.
WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT
The Congress also claimed that there was rising cases of atrocities against women and children under BJP misrule in the state. State Women’s Commission and Child Rights’ Commission have not been fully developed into a proactively full swing Commission for the best interests of women and children in the state, it said. No single children park has been newly built under BJP misrule in the state. There is no new Bal Bhavan was built in the districts of the state.
MURDER OF LOCAL DEMOCRACY
Under BJP misrule, local urban bodies elections have not been held even aAer the full term gets completed in all the municipal councils of the state. Imphal Municipal Corporation is made to be dysfunctional. Instead of holding elections, the Ex- Chairpersons of the local urban bodies have been undemocratically appointed as caretaker Chairpersons through an executive decision by BJP state government, claimed the Congress.
Under BJP misrule, local elections for ADC (Autonomous District Council) in the hills have never been held despite the full term gets completed. The failure to hold ADC elections, on time, exposes BJP’s hypocrisy on development in the hills. The failure to conduct ADC elections by BJP state government has destroyed the tribal rights of the tribal population in the hills for hill areas development through elected ADC bodies.