BJP denies report of Imphal party office closure on central leaders’ direction

Imphal, Sep 13 (IANS) The ruling BJP in Manipur on Friday denied reports appearing in a section of the local media claiming that the party’s head office in Delhi has asked to close down the party office in Imphal in view of the rising violence.

BJP state general secretary K Sarat Kumar Singh while talking to the media said that in view of the ongoing curfew in Imphal lesser number of party workers and people are visiting the party office here.

He said that the media report is totally false and fabricated “We strongly refute the news of the local media.”

Also, the state leaders and party’s state office-bearers have not yet received any such instructions from the Central office in Delhi.

“There is no question of the BJP state head office in Imphal closing down or any kind of restrictions in visiting the state office,” Singh said.

He said that leaders, office bearers and workers honouring the curfew restrictions, imposed by the district authorities, remained in their homes and in urgent cases they are coming to the party offices.

Reports appeared in a section of the media claiming that BJP headquarters directed the state party unit to close the party office in Imphal following the tense situation, which arose in view of the recent violent incidents in the state.

The district administrations of Imphal East, Imphal West and Thoubal districts following student protests on September 9 and 10 clamped curfew in these three districts on September 10.

The students belonging to schools and colleges held protests for two days in support of their demands which included the removal of the Director General of police and chief security advisor to the state government for their alleged inability to deal with the rising militant violence.

The student leaders separately met Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya and Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and highlighted their demands.

Meanwhile, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh in a post on X said: "Today, Poknapham, the widely circulated Manipuri newspaper, has a prominent front-page story saying that the state BJP has been asked by the BJP HQ in New Delhi to close its palatial office in Imphal."

"State BJP office bearers have also been told to remain on high alert. What is happening in Manipur? The Governor is part-time and based in Guwahati. For the past 45 days, the Chief Secretary has not been in the state,” the former Union Minister said.