IMPHAL, Oct 16 ? Surrendered cadres of various insurgent outfits now languishing in the barracks of the First Manipur Rifles dog squad, here have threatened to launch a fast unto death to protest the state government?s failure to rehabilitate them properly by providing jobs as riflemen and constables in the state forces and to clear their monthly stipends during the past four years.
Talking to newsmen at the dog squad here on Friday, a spokesman of the surrendered insurgent activists said that the state government has so far failed to clear their monthly stipend of Rs 2000 each to 82 surrendered ultras in the past four years. The Centre has already sanctioned Rs 10 lakh for the surrendered insurgents to start a new life in the state.
Later, representatives of the surrendered insurgents submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh. However, no date for the fast unto death agitation has been given.Chief Minister Ibobi Singh, in the meantime, said that the lives of surrendered insurgents now given rehabilitation package under the Central Government?s sponsored schemes under the safe custody of the Manipur Government are always in danger.
Out of 82 surrendered insurgents of various outfits given shelter in the Manipur Rifles dog squads here, two earlier belonging to the banned United National Liberation Front - Mayengbam Vikram and Sanabam Bhogen - were gunned down by armed youths on the premises of Dhana Manjuri College of Commerce here on June 19 last year.
On fulfilment of the package of the surrendered policy by the government, the Chief Minister who also holds the home portfolio, said that surrendered insurgents would be given jobs as riflemen etc. in the forthcoming establishment of the 4th India Reserve Battalion in the state. The state government is giving main thrust to the surrendered insurgents getting jobs in government departments.
The Centre has already sanctioned Rs 13 crore for establishment of the 4th IRB in Manipur. Divulging that the surrendered rebels are not safe in the open markets and elsewhere because of threats from their junior cadres, the Chief Minister said that all the surrendered rebels had applied for jobs in the home department so as to be safe from the clutches of the silent killers