Congress should recall that a member of COPPK, Lamtinthang Haokip, was its candidate in the by-election of Saitu AC in 2020, asserted BJP spokesperson Bijoy.
TFM Report
The BJP on Wednesday took a dig at the Congress party suggesting that the Mount Koubru issue can be resolved only when the Congress party stops instigating. The solution to the issue is in the hands of Congress, the state BJP asserted.
Replying to the Congress party’s appeal to the Manipur government to solve the issue, BJP spokesperson Ch Bijoy, in a video message, urged the Congress to stop conjuring up issues and comment on it from time to time.
Accusing the Committee on Protection and Preservation of Mount Koubru (COPPK) of being the main reason behind the issue, Bijoy urged the Congress to examine the members of the committee. The Congress should recall that a member of the committee, Lamtinthang Haokip, was its candidate in the by-election of Saitu AC in 2020, he added.
Bijoy also asserted that the leaders of Congress cannot wash its hands off about the activities and statements, which might lead to communal tension, being issued by the Saitu Block Congress Committee on the Mount Koubru issue. The BJP wants to know why the Congress leaders have not taken any actions against the Saitu Block Congress Committee for such activities, he added.
“It is untenable to maintain that the left hand of the Congress does not know what its right hand is doing,” Bijoy said.
The state BJP spokesperson also maintained that Mount Koubru is a reserved forest area and encroachment will be dealt with evictions. The process to strictly protect several important mountain tops of the state under the Manipur Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological sites and Remains (Second Amendment) Act, 1996 is underway; he informed and added that the Congress should refrain from commenting amidst such development.
Reacting to Congress MLA K Meghachandra’s statement that Mount Koubru should be declared as cradle of several communities, Bijoy urged the MLA to convince the same to Lamtinthang Haokip, who was the Congress candidate in Saitu AC. Bijoy also said that Lamtinthang had argued against the same suggestion during a discussion in a local TV channel.
On the Congress’ contention that the agreement signed between two ministers and COPPK will lead to further complications, Bijoy maintained that no agreement was signed between the Manipur government and the committee. The chief secretary or the commissioner or concerned party should sign any agreement, he contended and urged that Congress party to stop commenting on other issues amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.