|
Manipur : MLAs providing shelter to rebels |
 |
The Congress government led by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh was put in the dock last week when police on August 17 found 12 militants and a cache of arms and ammunition in the official residences of three MLAs and a former legislator of the ruling Congress in the state’s most heavily-guarded zone.
The morning raid on Babupara VIP Colony in Imphal East was not the first, but never before in the long history of insurgency in Manipur had militants, weapons, ammunition and incriminating documents been found in the residences of legislators.
Police chief Yumnam Joykumar Singh announced the catch to the media only in the evening, after he had consulted Okram Ibobi Singh. The obviously embarrassed chief minister was unavailable for comment.
The three sitting legislators whose quarters were raided are W. Brajabidhu Singh, K. Meghachandra Singh and K. Bijoy Singh. All three were at home, as was their former colleague N. Sobha¬kiran Singh, when the police came calling.
Eight militants of the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup were traced to the quarters of W. Brajabidhu Singh, elected to the Assembly from Lamsang in Imphal West district.
A dismantled M-16 rifle, parts of a 9 mm pistol and 15 rounds of ammunition were found in the septic tank. The police also found five extortion notices meant for Imphal-based busi¬nessmen.
The two militants arrested from Meghachandra Singh’s resi¬dence belong to different outfits - one from the Kangleipak Communist Party and the other a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) activist who had been in custody earlier but granted bail.
Meghachandra represents Wangkhem constituency of Thoubal district.
A militant each of the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak and the Kangleipak Communist Party were arrested from the residences of Bijoy Singh, who represents Thongju in Imphal East, and Sobhakiran Singh.
The director-general of police said the raid was conducted on the basis of “specific information”. On whether action would not be taken against the MLAs, the police chief said that would depend on the findings of the investigation.
Manipur police have since charged the MLAs with harbouring militants at their official quarters. They have, however, denied having harboured militants.
The arrested militants were produced before the chief judi¬cial magistrate, Imphal, the next day and remanded in police custody till August 22.
Opposition BJP general secretary Tiken Singh said the ar¬rests have blown the lid off a collusion between Congress MLAs and militants. Opposition Manipur Peoples Party president L. Chandramani Singh said, “We will watch the follow-up action of the government. We will react at the appropriate time”.
The Manipur PCC has yet to take any decision on the MLAs. A leader of the committee said action against the MLAs, if any, would be taken in consultation with the AICC.
|
