Haokip accuses BJP of trying to destabilize government

IMPHAL: Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president T N Haokip on Thursday fired fresh salvo at BJP, accusing it of attempting to destabilise the Okram Ibobi Singh-led Congress government in the state.
Haokip accused the saffron party of trying to get President's Rule twice - once, by triggering a crisis in tribal-majority Churachandpur district in 2015, and again during the ongoing economic blockade by the United Naga Council (UNC).In 2015, nine protesters had died during a protest in Churachandpur district against the three "anti-migrant" bills passed by the assembly. This was when talks of President's Rule had been doing the rounds. "It was BJP's secret agenda," he said.
He then accused BJP of trying to engineer defections from Congress, but the move failed. "Seven Congress MLAs left the party before the election, but six MLAs from other parties joined us," he added.
Regarding the ongoing blockade on the national highways of the state, Haokip accused BJP of being hand-in-glove with NSCN (I-M). He went on to say that no one in Manipur knows the contents of the Naga framework agreement and demanded that BJP reveal it. Union home minister Rajnath Singh had said during his visit to the state that the framework agreement signed between the Centre and the NSCN (I-M) did not contain anything on Manipur. Haokip was sceptical. "If Rajnath ji is sincere, he should reveal the contents of the framework agreement," he said.
He then attacked the BJP's vision document, saying that it does not clearly spell out how the party will protect Manipur's territorial integrity. The BJP's vision document says it has a "firm commitment to protect Manipur's territorial integrity, culture and its people".
"The vision document says the party will protect the boundary, but how? They did not mention anything. It's a bluff," Haokip said. He then brought out the Congress manifesto and said the party has clearly mentioned how the party plans to safeguard the state's boundary. The party manifesto says Congress will urge the Centre to provide constitutional safeguards for the territorial integrity of Manipur. "Just see the difference in their approach and ours," Haokip said.
Further attacking the BJP's vision document, which ensured one job opportunity to every household, Haokip asked, "Have they conducted household surveys? Do they know how many households there are in the state?"
If voted to power for the fourth consecutive term, he said Congress in the next five years will focus on replacing the traditional jhum or shifting cultivation still practised by tribals in the hill districts. He said the jhums will be replaced by cash crops and the government will encourage the hill people to take up agriculture, horticulture, floriculture and plant medicinal plants.