O Joy calls on Gov, urges to drop Nasir from cabinet

IMPHAL, November 29: Manipur Peoples’Party advisor O Joy met the state Governor Gurbachan Jagat today urging him to drop state Fisheries and Agriculture Minister Md Abdul Nasir from the state cabinet.

Speaking to media persons in a press conference held at its office today O Joy said, it is derogatory that a state cabinet Minister was involved in the assault of an individual inside the Manipur Sangai Festival.

The MPP advisor said appropriate actions should be taken against the erring Minister Md Abdul Nasir for his action of allegedly assaulting a Youth Congress member Alam Azad inside the Manipur Sangai Festival on November 26.

He further lamented that the organizing committee of the festival has remained silent on the issue and failed to report the incident to the authorities against the Minister who was attending the festival as the chief guest of the day.

“Why the police department have remained silent when the Minister and his escort party were assaulting the victim? Such act is against the law. While one Bojo has been booked under Wildlife Protection Act for selling cooked wild animal meat, the Minister has not been booked under Indian Penal Court. Why such a discrimination? Is this what Article 14 said that everyone is equal, means?” the MPP advisor asked.

In the name of violation of the law, UGs are arrested, he continued to lament.

When the Minister is not arrested for violating the law, there is no meaning to arresting the UGs, he condemned before asking “If the police have any moral, ethical and legal authority?”

A lesson should be taught to the Minister that he is not the master but a trust worthy representative of the public. It is a shame that some of the Congress leaders led by the party’s president Gaikhangam have tried to subdue the issue, instead of correcting the fault.

Under Schedule 3 of the Indian Constitution the Minister has taken oath to respect the equality of the people, he continued.

There is no difference between a Minister and a citizen in the eyes of the law, he said.

His conduct was unbecoming of a cabinet Minister, he said.

He must be removed from the state cabinet, he said.

The Minister’s act is one of its kind and has only degraded the state, he said and added that the Governor has asked to submit a written report to initiate the matter, O Joy added.