Action Plan formulated: Centre gets tough with Manipur Govt

NEW DELHI, January 6: The Central Government has imposed tough conditions on W. Nipamacha Singh-led Manipur State Government forcing him to order a CBI probe into the Manipur lottery scam and alleged fake appointments in the State Education Department. The Action Plan prepared by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has left little choice for the Chief Minister, who faces the prospect of being dismissed, to either act or face the consequences. The Action Plan prepared in consultation with the State Government has sought to beef up the security arrangement in the State, besides toning up the State administration and mounting a crackdown on the politicians and underground nexus. The Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani and the Manipur Chief Minister, W. Nipamacha Singh and Deputy Chief Minister, Chandramoni Singh met this morning at the North Block to approve the Action Plan. The Centre, a spokesman of the Ministry told newsmen, would review the implementation of the Plan regularly. The Manipur Government was asked to prepare a counter militancy plan with special focus on VIP security. The MHA would scrutinise the plan, he added. What has apparently shaken the Manipur Government was the insistence of the Union Home Ministry that the allegation of misappropriation of Government fund be probed by a Central agency. The Manipur lottery scam according to reports with the Central Government is identical in nature with the Nagaland lottery scam and involves a few top ministers and officials. The CBI will be directed to probe the alleged irregularities in conduct of the Manipur lottery scam from 1990 onwards, the MHA spokesman said. The Bureau will also investigate the alleged false appointments in the Manipur State Education Department, he added. Leaving nothing to chances, the Action Plan also stipulated that the State Government will order an inquiry into the alleged nexus between the MLAs and ex-MLAs and the underground outfits. The Manipur Government was directed to have the inquiry completed within the year and report back to the Centre. If the State Government's inquiry were found to be unsatisfactory, then the Central Government would call for a CBI probe into this as well, the spokesman said. Under the Action Plan, the Manipur Government has been directed to set up joint interrogation centres for the National Security Act (NSA) detainees. Necessary administrative changes were to be initiated to revamp the functioning of the State Police forces. Meanwhile, a visibly shaken Chief Minister later addressing a press conference denied all charges levelled by the Central Government. He also denied that he has been, holding 35 of his MLAs captive. He claimed that there was no nexus between the ministers and insurgents in his State. He blamed the centre for the present mess by asserting that the Central Government has been neglecting Manipur and the Northeast all along. The rigid Action Plan leaves little room for the Chief Minister to manoeuvre as he indicated as much at the news briefing. The Action Plan was prepared over last few days by the MHA even as the Chief Minister was asked by the Union Home Minister to stay in the capital until it was finalised.