SCM announces agitations; questions state govt. for urging center to declare UNC as unlawful

Imphal, Feb 27: Struggle Committee Manipur (SCM) a joint body of four different organisations including Socialist Students’ Union Manipur, Manipur Peoples’ Proletariat Democratic Front and two other civil body today announces for launching various form of agitation against the misdeed of the Congress led government in the state.
The committee has appealed the people of the state to stop working for a day for staging protest to deliver justice to victims of fake encounter killings, misappropriation of funds and drug haul case.
The Committee also question the reason for throwing the ball to the centre over the announcement  of the United Naga Council (UNC) as unlawful organisation when the state government could have announced it in its own.
Speaking to media persons Tanoranjan, Spokesperson of the SCM said that people of the state has been suffering due to the prolonged economic blockade called by the United Naga Council and instead of finding a solution the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has been using the blockade as a means to garner support of the people during election. He said instead of taking a decision to urge the centre for announcement of UNC as an unlawful organisation the state government can also announce itas per the law of the land.
Tanoranjan further said that during UPA government in the centre, when  P. Chindambaram was the Union Home Minister, West Bengal government announced a left wing extremist group as outlawed without asking the center.
The spokespersons of the SCM said that Section 16 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act
1908 enables the state government to declare an association to be ‘unlawful’. Such a declaration can be made if the state government is of the opinion that the association interferes with the administration of law, maintenance of law and order or constitutes a danger to public peace.
Acting under Section 16 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1908, Orissa, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu have declared the CPI (Maoist) an unlawful association. Bihar has declared the MCC and the CPI (ML)-PW as unlawful associations. Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have declared CPI (Maoist) as an unlawful association under their respective state Acts.
On the other hand, Tanoranjan said Congress government under the leader of O Ibobi is diverting real issues by diverting it with the economic blockade.