Opposition unhappy with Action Plan

IMPHAL, January 11: The opposition leaders once again came down heavily on the United Front ministry led by W Nipamacha Singh, saying that the 12-point action plan submitted to the Union Home Ministry by the state government is nothing but a sell out of the state autonomy guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. Talking to mediapersons shortly after arriving from New Delhi, Samata Party leader, Radhabinod Koijam said the step taken up by the United Front ministry had reduced the status of the state to that of a union territory. Mention may be made here that the UF ministry submitted a 12-point action plan to the Union Home Minister LK Advani on January 6. Radhabinod, former deputy chief minister and leader of the Opposition, also noted that it was very puzzling that Chief Minister Nipamacha who has been demanding the pre-merger status for Manipur had surrendered so early. He was of the view that it was a part of Nipamacha's ploy to stick to power with the assurances he never kept. He added that he along with the opposition leader Nimaichand Luwang and Samata Party MLA Wangkhem Basantakumar had called on Advani on January 7 to apprise him of the prevailing political scenario in Manipur. According to him, the Union Home Minister had told them to wait and see how much of the action plan was translated into action. Radhabinod also said that formulation of the action plan was the same as charting the ground rules for imposition of President's Rule. He claimed that the plan would not have been signed had it been the West Bengal government. He also send the Union Defence Minister George Fernandes had assured him that the government would deserve whether Nipamacha acts with sincerity and whether the state government could translate the plan into action.