Manipur Rifles strike takes a serious turn

By Our Correspondent

IMPHAL, DEC. 13. All 12 battalions have joined the ceasework protest by Manipur Rifles personnel.

Fire Service personnel and Criminal Investigation Department are also on strike.

The Manipur Rifles personnel launched the strike on Friday, demanding disbursement of allowances for which money was drawn between 1996 and 1998.

The Government said the allowances had been deposited in the G.P. Fund account. It issued an order on Monday saying the personnel could withdraw money from the fund. But the personnel claim that the bank financial statement does not reflect this.

They argue that had the money been deposited four years back, they would have got considerable interest.

Two commanding officers, Mr. K. H. Netra and Mr. M. Sushil of 7 and 8 battalions, were suspended on the charge that they drew the allowances and disbursed them.

The personnel of these two battalions are demanding their reinstatement.

Meanwhile, Mr. D. S. Grewal, Director-General of Police, Manipur, told The Hindu that Mr. D. K. Das, IGP (Intelligence), who investigated the scam, found that Rs. 29,51,515, meant for disbursement, had been missing from I battalion alone.

In another development, ministerial staff under the Home Department went on ceasework protest from today as the Government failed to punish those Manipur Rifles personnel who beat up a cashier of the I battalion in the presence of the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. L. Chandramani, on Sunday.

All personnel guarding Ministers, MLAs, former Chief Ministers, police and civil officials have returned to their barracks.

Most of the VIPs are on the hitlist of the insurgents.

The Chief Minister and Home Minister, Mr. W. Nipamacha, has not commented on the strike, which has disrupted counter-insurgency operations and the maintenance of law and order.

This has prompted the Opposition, camping with the Speaker, Mr. Sapam Dhannanjoy, at his residence to speculate that he may be involved in the scam.

The Speaker, whose ambition to wrest the leadership from the Chief Minister is no secret, has said the strike is a result of corruption and the ``mutiny-like'' situation it has created is dangerous.

He has urged the Centre and the Governor to intervene and ask the Chief Minister to step down gracefully.

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