IMPHAL: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi today said proper investigations will be made to find out the truth in the Lilong incident that led to the death of a minor boy. Replying to media persons on the sidelines of the inaugural function of Secure Office Complex, the chief minister maintained that it is unreasonable to protest against non-expansion of roads by disrupting normal life. He said security measures were taken to prevent acts of violence in the protest. Okram Ibobi further said truth will be known only after the autopsy report of the deceased is available. He said the loss of life was unfortunate and government will do whatever it can after looking into the matter. 

IMPHAL: BJP Manipur Pradesh has demanded judicial inquiry into Lilong incident that led to the death of a minor boy. Speaking to media persons at the party’s Head Office in Nityaipat Chuthek, the party's president Th Chaoba said Manipur government has lost its moral right to rule the state.He further said he is disappointed at the state government's silence when bandhs are called and pretension to take action only when the issue gets bigger. Stating that the Lilong issue cannot be taken lightly, he demanded the government to institute a judicial inquiry into the incident to bring justice to the victim. Earlier a team of BJP workers led by Irom Mangiton and Oinam Malesh, President of BJP Yuva Morcha, visited Lilong to take stock of the situation.  The team not only met the injured victims at Public Hospital but also gave financial assistance to them. Later, the team met family members of deceased minor boy, Iliyaz Khan at their house at Lilong Chingkham Maning.  President of BJP Yuva Morcha Oinam Malesh said he will personally report the incident to union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Kiren Rijiju in New Delhi. He assured the family that the truth will be found out and the guilty punished.

IMPHAL: Spokesperson of Pangal (Manipuri Muslim) Political Forum Manipur, MI Khan today condemned the atrocities meted out on the protestors at Lilong yesterday by Manipur Govt. Speaking to media persons at the office of AITC at Yaishul Janmasthan, MI Khan said it is the right of the people to voice their need to the Govt. However, using force against innocent people clearly showed lack of good governance and asked how long one can survive in such a lawlessness state.  Mention may be made that a class 8 student, Imtiaz Khan was killed in police firing yesterday at Lilong during blockade demanding to widen the Lilong Bridge to Waithou stretch of Imphal-Moreh road. 

IMPHAL: Secretary of CPI Manipur State Council, Dr M Nara has accused the Congress led State Govt of being corrupt and insincere. Speaking to media at Irawat Bhavan in connection with the three-Day State Conference of the party being held at Irilbung beginning February 13 to 15, Dr Nara said burning issues of the state will be discussed in the conference and preparations will be made for series of agitations to get the rights of common people. He also alleged that Public Distribution System has failed and corruption is deep-rooted in the state. Lambasting NDA Govt at the centre, Nara asserted that Prime minister Narendra Modi so far has failed to meet the needs of the people and favours capitalists and corporate houses. Pronouncing 2015 will be the year of struggle, Nara also said CPI will never remain as mute spectator in such a situation.  Reacting to the Lilong incident where a minor boy was killed, Nara said CPI Manipur State Council takes it very seriously and condemned in the strongest terms. Claiming the demand of the people as genuine and long pending, Nara rebuked the state govt as insensitive towards minority community of the state. 

89-year old renowned Manipuri ballad singer Nameirakpam Ibemni, a recipient of Padma Shri will perform Khongjom Parva at the 3-day Kathakar-International Storytellers Festival to be held at the Amphitheatre of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Janpath in Delhi. The festival organized by Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts and Nivesh will be held from January 30 to February 1, from 4 pm to 8 pm. Ibemni Devi the first woman to play Khol, Mridanga and Dolak in Manipuri folk theatre, is credited with the composition of over 150 ballads which have been aired by the All India Radio and Doordarshan. Kathakar-International Storytellers Festival aims to generate awareness on the traditional methods of storytelling in different parts of the world. Khongjom Parva, a style of ballad singing from Manipur using Dholak depicts stories of heroic battle fought by Manipuris against the British forces in 1891. Nameirakpam Ibemni Devi was born in July 1926 at Wangkhei Ningthempukhri Mapal to Kshetrimayum ningol Keina Devi and Khumanthem Chaoba Singh, a noted exponent of Khongjom Parba. She started learning traditional Manipuri music at the age of six under the tutelage of Guru Yumnam Natum Singh, a known singer of Nata Sangeet. Besides Nata Sangeet, she also learnt other genres of Manipuri music. She is the founder of Khongjom Parba School (1964), and has also established two choir groups, one in 1964 and the other in 1972.