Tamenglong Concerned People's Forum (TCPF) on Wednesday charged the Joint Tribes Council Tamenglong of "selling the mandate of the people for their own selfish interests."
In a release issued on Wednesday, TCPF stated that it is stunned by the audacity of the Joint Tribes Council to defend the chief minister's visit to Tamenglong district, as not related to the ‘Go To Hills 2.0,’ till the last minute.
However, the people can clearly see the real intention behind the visit of the chief minister to Tamenglong as a part of 'Go To Hills 2.0', in the guise of inaugurating development projects which are incomplete in reality, stated the release.
It is also clear for the people to see that the well intentioned visit as defended by the JTC has been easily flipped to become 'Go To Hills ' against which all other hill districts have been protesting in solidarity, it stated.
TCPF claimed that the leaders of the JTC have unabashedly claimed to defend the rights of the people, after having sold the rights of the people whom they claim to represent. The district administration too has been harping the same tune assuring that the chief minister’s visit is not related to 'Go To Hills', hoodwinking the public, it alleged.
TCPF stated that "it is clearly seen now that the JTC has played into the well calculated moves of the chief minister and his coteries to rebuild his image, which has taken a severe dent on the account of non-tabling of Hill Areas Committee Bill, 2021 and the move to induct MLAs from assembly constituencies belonging to non-scheduled area into HAC."
"If the JTC leaders still have an iota of self-respect left, they should own up to their grave blunder committed, and have the moral responsibility to resign immediately from their position from the JTC, and their respective tribes' organisation," the release stated.
The release continued that civil voluntary organisations leaders should work for the welfare of the people and should be connected to the pulse of the people. The JTC leaders have totally disregarded the voice of the people and moreover, misled the people, it added.
TCPF stated that, “allowing ‘Go To Hills 2.0’ in Tamenglong district should be condemned by all right thinking citizens of Tamenglong, if we are to stand up against subjugation of tribal rights and identity.”
Tamenglong Concerned People's Forum also claimed that it is not against any individuals, political parties, or organisations. However, it will stand up against any injustice, denial of rights, and entitlements to people, meted out by any individuals or organisations.
Claiming that TCPF stands for the rights of the people of Tamenglong, the forum also condemned the practice of 'Tuluai Puanmei' - carrying a person on a palanquin.
TCPF stated that “Such mentality of servitude and subservience has made it easier for leaders with vested self-interest to exploit and manipulate us and it has to be done away with.”
TCPF further stated that organisers have to be blamed for allowing such a degrading practice to be continued till today.
“It is a clear demonstration of feudal and patronizing attitude on the part of the chief minister, who as the head of the state, has a duty to speak against such practice instead actively taking part in it,” TCPF added.
The TCPF acknowledged the support of the right thinking people by responding to the call for shutdown of Tamenglong town in protest against the visit of the chief minister. The conscientious decision to stand in solidarity with other hill districts in Manipur will go a long way in the fight for the genuine rights of the tribal communities in Manipur, it added.
