United NGOs Mission Manipur (UNMM), Women’s Committee has warned BJP Manipur state president A Sharda Devi to keep the Manipur State Commission for Women (MSCW) as a statutory body, while reminding that the Commission is not a ‘political rehab’ on Tuesday.
In a press conference at UNMM office located in Chingmeirong, UNMM Women Committee convener Mangsatabam Sobita said that as per a news item published on Monday, BJP president A Sharda Devi reportedly said that women BJP ticket aspirants who have been denied tickets can be given a post at MSCW. The statement came as a matter of surprise and extremely shocking, she added.
She recalled that the Commission is a statutory body that was constituted in the year 1993 to deal with the issues relating to crime against women in the state of Manipur. Afterwards, the Commission remained without functioning for many years and resumed activities in 2006, that too after a long period of agitations by CSOs, she said.
She continued that the Social Welfare department of the state makes modalities for appointing the chairman or members of MSCW. The Commission should be kept neutral without any interference from any political parties. It should not be turned into a political rehabilitation centre for aspirants who have not been given party tickets, she said.
President Sharda should step back from making such unreasonable decisions, she further said, adding, there is strong apprehension that a political post which can influence the Commission may be created.
