Congress candidate from Manipur Inner releases 'personal manifesto' for LS Polls; promises support for NRC in state

Imphal (Manipur) [India], April 17 : Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, a professor in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and the Congress's candidate from Inner Manipur constituency, has released his own 'personal manifesto' for the Lok Sabha elections, which promises for the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.
The manifesto released by the Congress candidate said that his mission is to cultivate a new political culture for a new Manipur.
"My aim to foster a people-led, issue-based governance approach that prioritizes solutions benefiting all Manipuris. I envision a future marked by harmony and prosperity, where collective prosperity is prioritized through inclusive governance and equitable policies," it added.
To support for a population policy and the NRC are among the promises made by Angomcha Bimol Akoijam.
Speaking to ANI, Akoijam said that the state needs an institutional mechanism to identify the 'legal citizens'.
"When the amendment was introduced in 2003 in the Parliament, Congress supported it. That's why it was unanimously passed. Similarly, on the Floor of the House in Manipur Assembly in 2022, a Resolution was passed asking for NRC in the state. Manipur Congress MLAs supported that move, that resolution. So, I think it is not quite correct to say that Congress is against NRC as such. Personally, I am for it. You can call it by any other name but we must have an institutional mechanism to distinguish who is a citizen and who is not," he said on Tuesday.
Fixing accountability for ongoing violence and the justice for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), support for constitutional protection such as Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for Meiteis, economic development task force, educational empowerment initiative, inter-community dialogue and collaboration initiative, and governance accountability and oversight initiative are among 13-point agendas released by the Congress leader for the state if is elected.
The leader also promised a center for indigenous arts and cultural integration, and a socio-economic and education status assessment committee.
He also vowed for a paradigm shift- from military lens to civilian governance, rebuild the brand Manipur, administrative reform and strengthening Manipur's position under Indian federal polity.
Angomcha also hit out at Union Minister Amit Shah after the latter referred the Congress leader as a "member of the tukde-tukde gang" in his rally on Monday, subbing it as a mere "propaganda".
"That is their favorite dialogue-- anybody who is associated with JNU, they will call him by it. JNU is such a renowned university which has contributed immensely in the national affairs and the growth of the nation. In fact, Modiji has two very popular and powerful ministers in his cabinet- S Jaishankar and Nirmala Sitharaman who are from JNU. JNU has immensely contributed to the nation building process, not only intellectually but otherwise also. So brand anybody from the JNU as 'tukde tukde gang' is a propaganda and this statement was from the union minister which very unfortunate," Shah added.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said at an election rally in Imphal that the upcoming Lok Sabha election would be fought between "those talking of dividing Manipur" and "those holding it together".
He referred to Congress' Inner Manipur candidate, JNU teacher Bimol Akoijam, as a "member of the tukde-tukde gang", and sought votes for the BJP's candidate from the seat, Th. Basanta Singh.
The constituency, one of the two Lok Sabha seats in the state and the one that covers most of the Meitei-majority valley region, votes on April 19. The Outer Manipur seat, which covers Kuki-Zomi and Naga-dominated areas, goes to the polls on April 26. The BJP has not fielded a candidate for the constituency and is backing the Naga People's Front candidate there.