Reconstitution of MDC demanded

Special correspondent

SILCHAR, Feb 12: There have been demand and counter demand for retaining and reconstituting the existing Manipuri Development Council (MDC). While United Manipuri Association, Assam (UMAA) is in favour of continuation of the present chairman Jiten Singha, Manipuri Diaspora has raised its pitch for reconstitution and selecting Dr. M Santi Kumar Singha as chairman in his place. Both the Manipuri bodies have come out with their own logic and arguments to back up their demands.

 UMAA has argued that Jiten Singh has been most successful in running the MDC and serving the causes of the community in a most effective manner. Moreover, for the continuation of Jiten Singha, UMAA brought out a rally in Lakhipur on Thursday, stressing for his continuation along with the existing council members for another term as well as to provide ST (Plain) status under the 6 Schedule of the Constitution to the Manipuri community of Assam.

 In order to win the support of the ruling party at Dispur, it has demanded continuation of the present MDC and demonstrated how the whole community has been voting for Congress during the last 17 years since the formation of the Council. UMAA also claims the success of the Congress party candidates in assembly and parliamentary elections has been due to their support in the Manipuri domited areas. The Association submitted a memorandum in this regard addressed to the Chief Minister of Assam through the ADC (in-charge) Lakhipur after the rally.

 On the other hand, Manipuri Diaspora, Assam, in yet another memorandum to the Chief Minister of Assam submitted through the ADC (in-charge) Lakhipur demanded nomition to Dr. M Santi Kumar Singha as chairman by reconstituting the Manipuri Development Council. N ndamohan Singha, president of Manipuri Diaspora, Lakhipur district committee, describes M Santi Kumar Singha as an active social worker and quite fit for the post of the chairman.

 N ndamohan Singha has alleged mismagement of the Council by the present chairman for which the community as a whole has not been benefitted by the various schemes and projects implemented for the development of the community. He claims that with the nomition of M Santi Kumar Singha, the Council will work effectively and follow the objectives of the Council for which it has been constituted, besides being active, dymic and agile he will serve the interest of the Manipuri community.