PM’s Speech In Manipur Colourless: Jairam Ramesh
Imphal, Feb 23: The Congress on Wednesday dismissed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address at an election meeting in Imphal as “colourless” and without “depth” and said the speech was further confirmation that the PM was leading a “double engine Haijinbi” (lies) government . Congress’ Senior Observer for Manipur Jairam Ramesh and former state Chief Minister Ibobi Singh also assailed the Prime Minister for being silent on the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) during his speech on Tuesday.
Addressing the media at the Congress Office here, Ramesh said: “The Prime Minister’s address was colourless. It is a further confirmation that the PM is leading a double engine Haijinbi government”. Ramesh said Modi “wrongly” stated that all the people were vaccinated in Manipur, whereas the reality was less than 50 percent of the eligible people had received double vaccine doses. “We are seeing the last days of the BJP government,” he said. He asked the BJP government about its plan on Armed Forces Special powers Act 1958 referring to the BJP manifesto being silence on the issue. Ramesh also asked Home Minister Amit Shah, who was campaigning in Manipur, to spell out Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to control the flow of drugs to Manipur from Myanmar. Jairam said there was an ”intimate relationship between the drug mafia and the ruling party of Manipur.” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed a mega rally and the next day PM Modi addressed a rally at the CM’s constituency. “The crowd at Rahul Gandhi’s rally was at least twice the crowd in the Prime Minister’s rally, That’s why it was a flop visit,” Ramesh said.
Former Chief Minister O Ibobi said in another press conference that Modi’s speech “had no depth and there were no major announcements”. The turnout at Rahul Gandhi’s rally showed that people were against the BJP, Ibobi said. He pointed out that Modi did not speak about AFSPA, or price rise. Congress changed the power supply system and ensured 24×7 power supply in Manipur which got global recognition Ibobi said, accusing Modi of trying to get credit for the work done by the Congress. Ibobi said the Prime Minister and other BJP leaders stated there would be no bandh and blockade if there is a BJP government in Manipur. It indicated that BJP was “hand in glove” with “anti-social elements” to enforce bandh and blockades, he alleged. The Prime Minister was silent on the drug issue also, he said.
Apart from giving new names to previous schemes, the BJP government was not doing anything, he alleged. The UPA government had almost completed constructing Integrated Check posts at Manipur border and talks were held to start bus service till Myanmar. Agreements were signed to improve road connectivity and improve trade relations with neighbouring countries, Ibobi said. The BJP rechristened Look East policy as Act East but nothing was done, he said. The Prime Minister was also silent on the inability of the BJP government to conduct local body elections, Ibobi added.
