The Shiv Sena on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for dodging the AFSPA topic during their recent visit to Manipur while terming it one of the most crucial issues of the state.
Shiv Sena leader and former Union Minister Arvind Sawant, while addressing the press at the head office of Shiv Sena, Babupara, Imphal said that over the last five years, despite a double engine BJP government, in the state and at the Centre, development in Manipur is far lagging behind.
It is good that the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister assured to solve the insurgency issues in the northeastern states, including Manipur, however they did not give any comment regarding AFSPA, the Shiv Sena leader said.
The former Union minister, who is in the state as a star campaigner, said that the party is confident of winning the nine seats it is contesting and that it will be a part of the new Manipur government.
The leader also noted that a democratic form of government with a strong opposition is necessary in order to bring good governance. He said, “there is no democracy if there is no opposition.”
Sawant said if there is no opposition then the government cannot be considered a good government.
He also pointed out that the state education sector is lagging behind as most of the people of the state go outside for higher studies. If, with the support of the people, the nine candidates of Shiv Sena are elected as representative, then the Shiv Sena will press upon the Central government to bring development in education especially for higher education. If the central government fails to listen to the voice of the Shiv Sena then they will launch a movement, he added.
Manipur Shiv Sena president M Tombi also attended the press conference.
