The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) felicitated Congress candidates, who won the district council elections held in two phases on May 26 and June 2 last. Congress won 106 seats in the 144 seats across the six ADCs.
O Ibobi Singh speaking on the occasion said that the holding of election to the hill district councils despite boycott by some social organisation was not targeted to any particular organisation or tribe.
Government was determined to conduct election as it has been long enough suppressing the democratic rights of the hill people. It is the bounden duty of a government to try its best to deliver equal rights to all section of people, Ibobi said. He further said that for marching ahead Manipur towards development, a balance development of both hills and valley “is a must”. When only the valley or hill developed, the state cannot be called a developed state.
Considering all round development in the state and with the determination that grass root level governance is needed for the same, Secular Progressive Front (SPF) government was compelled to go ahead with the district council elections.
Ibobi also observed that development in hill areas have been paralyzed for a long time due to non-existence of grass root level body to look after the development works in the region and hoped that once the district councils are constituted, the passage of development in hill areas will be sped up.
Saying that the district council Act has not targeted to a particular tribe or community, the Chief Minister asserted that any section or provision which is considered hurting the interest of the tribal people can be amended.
President MPCC, Gaikhangam who is among the 20 MLAs from hill districts hinted of some vested interest persons or group behind the boycott of the elections.
He said that district councils were in defunct state for the last more than 20 year when the demand for sixth schedule in the state hill areas comes up. Government had to defer the election to the council for such a long time as there could not bring a consensus on the demand of the sixth scheduled of Indian constitution.
