Parties launch manifestos in poll-bound Manipur

Imphal, Jan 16 (ANI): With barely a fortnight to go for the Assembly elections in Manipur, major political parties in the state released their manifestos.

On Sunday, the Nationalist Congress party released a manifesto delineating its stand on multiple issues.

Addressing mediapersons, senior NCP leader P.A Sangma said that a developed northeast was the key to India having better ties with its eastern neighbours.

"NCP attaches a lot of importance to the development of Manipur, not merely because of Manipur itself, but because of the whole of the northeast and the whole of India, because of the new 'look east' policy.

Unfortunately, there have been a lot of problems in Manipur. It needs to be tackled, be it insurgency, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, (or) the kind of blockades Manipur faces because of the national highway," Sangma added.

The Manipur People's Party (MPP) also released its manifesto on the same day.

"A rule of ten years (of a) continuous, stable government, without any break, can do a lot of sense to the state. But that has failed totake place. Many people have been killed, by the state actors and the non-state actors. The state government could not do anything, and the people of Manipur have suffered quite a lot at the hands of this present government," said MPP president Nimaichand Luwang.

The non-governmental organisation Child Rights and You (CRY) also released a manifesto, demanding that child rights be prioritized by political parties during their poll campaigns.

"All political parties should commit to ensure a safe and secure social environment, where each and every individual, especially children, can enjoy a peaceful and healthy life. All individuals must get equal opportunities for economic, social and cultural development. All political parties should commit to setting up the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights," said Ashim Ghosh, manager, Development Support at CRY.

Ghosh further said that schools in the states needed better facilities.

"The infrastructure for school education in the rural areas, it's (in) a very bad situation, where there is no separate toilet facility for the girl child, there's no drinking water facility, no 'pucca' (cement) building, and the teachers are also not able to attend on all days. It must be in the priority list when you are going for the development of the state, please focus (on) how to develop, build a good infrastructure for the children at the school level, so that the child should enjoy the education in the school," he said.

Polling for the 60-seat Manipur assembly will take place on January 28. (ANI)