Manipur People’s Party has demanded immediate resignations of Manipur Assembly Speaker T. Haokip, State Education Minister Manirudin Sheikh and Hill Areas Committee chairman Songchinkhup from their posts for involvement in alleged corrupt practices.

In a statement, Manipur People’s Party general secretary A. K. Sanaton said the ruling Secular Progressive Front (SPF) Government should also register cases against them for proper investigation. The three had been accused of accepting bribes by an underground organisation for appointing an ‘unqualified’ candidate to the post of secretary to the council for the Higher Secondary Education, Manipur. The three Congress MLAs were not immediately available for their comment.

The MPP said the SPF government should act immediately to protect the image of the legislators in the State and also in the best tradition and culture of parliamentary democracy.

Underground Kanglei Yawol Kann Lup (KYKL) in a statement earlier had said that Kh Joychandra, a former college lecturer, who they said was ‘’unqualified’’ had been appointed to the post of the secretary to the Council for Higher Secondary Education, Manipur. A spokesman of the KYKL, who had earlier kidnapped and shot Joychandra in both legs on May 24, had said they would also punish Haokip, Manirudin Sheikh and Songchinkhup for their corrupt practices as a part of the underground organisation’s ‘Operation New Kangleipak’ to bring what it called quality education in the State.

Sources said the KYKL activists had earlier killed a teacher on duty at the matric examinations about two months ago and injured several others for helping the students during the examinations. It may be recalled that Manipur unit of the All India Students Federation had been demanding a proper investigation into the charges of tampering of marks of some candidates of Class XII examinations (2000) conducted by the Council for Higher Secondary Education. Official sources said the matter was under investigation.