The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Thursday slammed the BJP government for its move to award former poppy farmers terming it an indirect support towards illegal activities and criminals. The party also termed the ‘War on Drugs’ mission a ‘flop show’.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh stated recently that farmers who gave up poppy plantation for alternative means will be awarded by Union Home Minister Amit Shah when he comes to visit the state on January 6, 2020.
Addressing the media at the office of MPCC in Imphal, senior spokesperson Harishwar Goswami slammed the BJP-led government in the state for being an “eye and brain washer”, making false promises and baseless propaganda in the last five years.
“Awarding of criminals (former poppy farmers) will be the first of its kind in the entire globe. It is indeed surprising,” he said and questioned, “Is the government going to reward the other criminals of hideous crimes who have stopped committing it?”
Also Read: Poppy farmers adopting alternative farming to be rewarded during Amit Shah’s visit to Manipur
Pointing out that there have been reports for various drugs confiscated in other states which have been exported from Manipur, the Congress leader further questioned, “How is it possible when the state government is successfully carrying out war on drugs?”
Manipur being recognised on the global map as an illicit drug producing state during the BJP regime after the state was just a drug transit route is a big failure of the state government, he said, terming the “War on Drugs” mission as a “flop show”.
Harishwar Goswami also condemned and termed the arbitrary pick-up of senior journalist Hemanta Ningomba by police and treating him as a criminal on Wednesday morning for giving a tentative suggestion to tackle the poppy plantation while a high-profile woman who took photos in a poppy farm was escort free, as unfortunate.
Also Read: Poppy Cultivation in Manipur: 497 cases registered, 703 arrested in 2022, says CM Biren
On the other hand, the state government is making all efforts to legalise liquor which is contrary to the war on drugs, he said and termed it unfortunate that the state government is trying to legalise liquor while the home state (Gujarat) of PM Modi is still banning liquor considering its possible ill-fated outcomes.
Coming to the ILP issue, Goswami pointed out that the present ILP implemented in the state is just a hollow permit to fool the people of Manipur.
As the permit does not have a specific duration for labours permit and the limits of labour inflow, who knows that the inflow of labours may outnumber the indigenous population, he expressed.
Further slamming the BJP government for suppressing big issues such as border pillar, establishment of Sports University, execution of National Highway Protection Forces and air dispensary helicopters, multi crore PMGSY scam and others, he questioned, “Where are the promises? Where is the anti-corruption cell or vigilance department?”
“The BJP government is just a government who lured the public by their speech which is totally different from their action,” Goswami alleged while concluding his speech.
