Maoists serve ultimatum to Singju Fest organiser

IMPHAL, April 14: The Singju Festival being held at Chana, Lamlai, Imphal east has come under the scanner of Maoist Communist Party Manipur. Further extension of the festival beyond April 15 after noon has been banned by the party.
According to a release signed by Nonglen Meitei, Secretary, Publicity and Propaganda of the party, it claimed that the festival has been grossly commercialised and has become an avenue for overindulgence. These unwanted activities have cropped up at a juncture when the party is trying to shape the Lamlai area as a ‘revolutionary model’, it said.
Further the release said that the party cannot remain a mute spectator to the unwanted activity like gambling which is being encouraged inside the premise of the festival. The claim of the Singju Festival organiser that it will bring progress and development through the festival has become a mere rhetorical statement, it said. It also has ridiculed the organiser of its claim to bring ‘green revolution’ by selling pan inside the festival venue.
It continued that the party has not served any dictate against the organiser of the festival in spite of the fact that it has continued for 11 days. But the decision of the festival organiser to extend it beyond 11 days just to fulfil their wanton wishes cannot be taken lightly, it claimed.

The statement has also drawn the attention of all concerned to regulate the activities which are deemed to be ‘immoral’ reportedly taking place inside the public gardens in Lamlai area.