TAMENGLONG | Sept 21 (IFP) : Suspected bandh volunteers allegedly burned Public Works Department Section of Autonomous District Council Tamenglong office at around 12:30 am last night.
Tamenglong police has said that an FIR No. 9(9) 2018 Tamenglong PS under section 436 and 34 IPC has been registered in the station accusing unknown miscreants. Police has said that all valuable documents of the department, computer set, printer and all furniture have been burned into ashes.
Police has retrieved damaged properties and deposited at police station Tamenglong this morning.
Interestingly, four policemen without arm were also guarding the ADC Tamenglong office since September 18. They are there when the office was set fire by unknown miscreants. Reportedly they were sleeping near the burned office.
It may be mentioned that Tamenglong and Longmai (Noney) District Citizen Welfare Forum (TLDCWF) has imposed 48-hour total bandh on National Highway-37, banned on national project in Tamenglong district and indefinite shutdown of ADC Tamenglong office since September 18 midnight.
The forum is acting against government’s order that says ‘Giving assent to rule by minority party in ADC Tamenglong is unconstitutional and murder of democracy.’
They claimed that out of 26 councillors, 15 BJP councillors (including two nominees) are against the incumbent chairman of ADC Tamenglong, Namsinrei Panmei. However, after a series of court cases, the government had given its assent to form government by the minority party of 10 members councillors led by Namsinrei.
The forum opposed the lifting order for financial transaction by the state government as a violation of district council act 27 Article ‘a’ (3) and (4) of Third Amendment Bill, and declared that the ‘No confidence motion’ of May 25 which was conducted on the direction of state government and the interim order of Manipur High court as null and void by the government vide letter no. 4/13/2017-hills, dated September 13.
Namsinrei strongly condemned the burning of ADC office by pro-BJP forum over the phone.
Meanwhile, briefing the media persons at the ADC office Tamenglong, ADC members, Charles Liangdiyang and Pouhotlung said that the burning of ADC office should be booked by authority concerned and give appropriate punishment at the earliest.
Pointing fingers to the opposition party (BJP), they said that if the party is not happy with the court verdict, they should go again to the court instead of sending a self-styled forum like TLDCWF to create problem in the office.
If TLDCWF is really concerned for people of Tamenglong or if they want development, they should be grateful to the state government for lifting the order for financial transaction, said the ADC members.
They said that TLDCWF should be booked under law and given befitting punishment for imposing 48 hours bandh on NH-37, ban on national projects in the district and indefinite shutdown of ADC office Tamenglong.
They also expressed unsatisfactory on the absence of chief executive officer of ADC Tamenglong at the time of crucial juncture on the pretext of force leave for eight days given by the chief minister.
On the other hand, ADC member, G. Apoukhui’s son Johnson fell down from the roof of the three storey building last night. His condition was said to be serious and was immediately evacuated to Imphal for treatment.
