Boycott I: Mani shunned

Mani Charenamei

Imphal, April 16 : The Thoubal District Development and Demand Council, an organisation formed by voters of eight Assembly constituencies today announced that it would boycott Mani Charenamei, who is seeking re-election from Outer Manipur constituency.

The president of the council, Sougrakpam Roben, said the council decided to boycott Charenamei, who is contesting on a Peoples Democratic Alliance ticket, for advocating Naga unification in his election campaign. The announcement came on the eve of tomorrow’s polling in the constituency.

Seven Assembly constituencies in Thoubal district — Heirok, Wangjing Tentha, Hiyanglam, Khangabok, Wabagai, Kakching and Sugunu and Imphal East’s Jiribam — are included in Outer. The majority of the voters in these constituencies are Meiteis.

As the constituency is reserved for Scheduled Tribes, other tribals under the banner of the council have fighting for the right to contest elections in the Outer.

The council is also demanding the creation of one more Lok Sabha seat out of the eight constituencies, which has a total of 207,888 voters. Charenamei is openly campaign for the unification of all contiguous Naga-inhabited areas and he promised voters that he would continue to fight for Naga unification if re-elected.

By promising Naga integration, Charenamei has been targeting Naga voters, who are a majority in this constituency. However, a boycott may not have much impact as Charenamei could garner only 2,224 votes in the last election. But he is likely to get the support of the Scheduled Tribe voters in the eight Assembly constituencies, particularly the Nagas.

The council did not support any particular candidate but its president appealed to the voters to vote for candidates who could fight any design to break Manipur’s territorial integrity.

“Mani openly said he was elected by the Nagas, so he would work for the Nagas in Parliament. This is very unfortunate because he is not representing only the Nagas but various communities living in his constituency,” Roben said.

Nine candidates are in the fray in this constituency. The others are Thangso Baite (Congress), M. Yamkhongam (RJD), Thangkhangin Ngaite (Lok Jana Shakti Party), Rose Mangshi Haokip (Independent), Lamlalmoi Gangte (Independent) L.B. Sona (NCP), D. Loli Adanee (BJP) and Valley Rose Hungyo (Independent).

Ex-MLA files complaint against Charenamei

Imphal, April 16 : Alleging the PDA candidate of Outer Manipur constituency, Mani Charenamei of violating the Model Code of Conduct published by the Election Commission of India, RTI Activist, L Ibomcha, and former Secretary (Law) and Ex-MLA has sought the detention of Mani Charenamei under NSA to the Chief Election Commissioner.

L Ibomcha has wrote to the CEC, N Gopalaswami, Nirvachan Sadan, Ashoka Road, New Delhi referring to news reports in local dailies on April 12 issues based on the statement made by Mani at election rallies at Kasom Khullen, Lambui, Nambashi, Phungyar, public ground of Kamjong in Ukhrul on April 9 and 10 .

The complaint letter of L Ibomcha which was made available to the press alleges Mani Charenamei of making provocative and inflammatory statements on the contemptuous issue of integration of all contagious Naga inhabited areas of Manipur to the state of Nagaland with a view to form a 'Nagalim' on the basis of Naga Community.

The complaint letter contends that Mani Charenamei has attempted to disturb harmony among the different communities in the state and to incite violence in Manipur.

L Ibomcha accused Mani of committing offences under Section 123 (3-A) and 125 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951; Section 124-A and 153-A of IPC for sedition and promoting enmity between different groups; Section 2 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1961 for questioning the territorial integrity or frontiers of India; and Section 3(2) of the National Security Act, for preventing him from acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of the State Government.

Further, the complaint letter stated that in order to prevent Mani from acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order, his detention under Section 3(2) of the NSA, 1980 may be recommended.

Charenamei serves legal notice on HL English edition

Imphal, April 11 : The PDA candidate in the Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency, Mani Charenamei, through his lawyer, today served a legal notice on the editor of the Hueiyen Lanpao English edition alleging that the editorial of the April 8 edition of the daily had defamed him by describing him as "a great danger to the unity and integrity of Manipur..." .

Mani Charenamei's lawyer has demanded an apology from the editor to be published on the front page of the English edition within 24 hours failing which a criminal complaint case u/s 500 IPC and a civil suit for compensation of Rs 1 crore would be filed against the editor and also a complaint would be sent to the Press Council of India to censure the editor for violation of the standards of journalistic ethics u/s 14 of the PCI Act, 1978 .

The editorial had said "Now looking back at Mani Charenamei's performance as MP during the past five years, there is nothing left to doub that the man is a great danger to the unity and integrity of Manipur.

He is a danger to the communal harmony and peaceful co-existence of all the communities and the integrity of Manipur...

It's the right time now for the discerning electorate of the outer constituency to decide whether voting for such a man would be in the common interest of all communities living in the Outer constituency in particular or the state in general or a disaster for all.

However, every body will agree that anyone who talks about and for only one community and spew venom to others must be given the boot instead of votes".

MP told to explain funds use

Ultimatum to Charenamei

Imphal, March 2 : Lok Sabha MP Mani Charenamei today was served a ultimatum by a newly formed association of political and social activists to publish a white paper on utilisation of the MP local area development fund during the past five years Concern Citizens for Development of Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency warned the Independent MP representing the constituency that it would stage a “democratic form of agitation” against what it termed “misutilisation” of the fund if he failed to act within March 10. “If he fails to account for the Rs 10 crore funds, we will take him to court,” the association’s spokesperson, Athuan Abonmai, said at a news conference. MPs are given Rs 2 crore annually for the development of their constituencies. Clarifying that the association was not formed against the particular MP, Abonmai said activists of various political parties, including the BJP, the NCP and leaders of various public organisations joined hands for the development of the Outer constituency. The Outer seat, reserved for Scheduled Tribes has 28 Assembly constituencies. Of these, 20 are located in the hills while the remaining are in the valley. Social activists from the five hill districts and eight Assembly constituencies in the valley and leaders of former tribal student bodies are either members or office bearers of the newly formed body. In a statement signed by its convenor Pumjadou Thangsing, four co-convenors and a secretary, the association alleged that while Rajya Sabha MP Rishang Keishing and Lok Sabha MP from Inner constituency, Th. Meinya Singh, used their respective development funds on welfare programmes, the Outer MP hardly did any welfare programme with the local area development fund. Poupok Kamei, a co-convenor from Senapati district, said the MP did not spend even a single paisa from his development fund in the district. “Earlier, Outer MPs spent some money for the eight valley districts. But the present MP seems to have forgotten that the eight Assembly constituencies in the valley are part of his constituency,” Kh. Basanta said. Abonmai said there was no other motive in the campaign against the MP, adding that the new association would not support any candidate in the forthcoming parliamentary elections. He said it would continue to exist even after the Lok Sabha elections to ensure that the MP local area development fund was judiciously used and not go inside private pockets.

Home >> Headlines "Hills yet to enjoy benefits of SAI, YAS"

Imphal, January 23 : Lok Sabha MP Mani Charenamei has stated that youths of hill districts are yet to enjoy any benefit from Sports Authority of India and Department of Youth Affairs and Sports even as the two bodies have taken up different programmes for development of sports and welfare of youths in the State.

The MP was speaking as chief guest at the opening ceremony of the 8th Barak Range Sports Meet 2009 at New Konphung, Tamei.

The opening ceremony was graced by Tamei A/C MLA Awangbow Newmai, Commanding Officer of 14 Mahar Tamei Col GS Sandhu and Mapi Council president Th Manihar as presidium members Mani Charenamei said that the sports meet will go a long way in building unity among the people settling along Barak range and speaking common language.

The sports meet will also provide a platform for interaction among youth and to show their sporting talents, he said.

Saying that the sports meet is a big step towards producing successful players, the MP noted that sports knows no difference between communities or religions.

He also assured all possible assistance for development of sports in the area.

While the youths in valley enjoy the advantage to practice sports in Khuman Lampak Sports Complex, the youths in hill districts are yet to enjoy any kind of sports infrastructure.

Even as SAI has been undertaking different schemes for development of sports, none of these schemes have reached any of the hill district till date, the MP asserted.

Observing that the Barak Range Sports Meet is neither in the form of a sports festival nor exactly fits in the category of a sports competition, Mani Charenamei called upon the organisers to rectify the mode of the sports meet so that the meet can serve as launching pad for prospective players.

Besides donating cash to the organising committee, the MP also distributed sports materials to teams coming from Nagaland, Assam and Manipur to participate in the sports meet.

GS Sandhu exuded that the sports meet will bring closer interaction among Naga tribes in addition to promoting sports in the hill districts.

Pledging that the Army would provide all possible assistance in education and sports, Col GS Sandhu also donated sports materials and first aid items to the organisers.

MAPI Council president Th Manihar also donated footballs, volleyballs, volleyball nets and Sepak Takraw balls to the organisers.

The sports meet which will have competitions in men's football, men's volley and women's volleyball is being participated by 20 teams from Assam, Nagaland and Manipur. As a part of the opening ceremony, a Sepak Takraw team from Imphal played an exhibition match.

This was followed by another exhibition football match between MAPI Council team and the champion team of the sports meet's last edition.