Imphal, July 08:Chief Minister O Ibobi has said today that all the Churches at Lamphel quarters area will be evicted. He was replying to a calling attention motion moved by opposition MLA O Joy at the ongoing Assembly session.

Moving the calling attention motion, MPP leader and MLA O Joy, while referring to a news report carried by Hueiyen Lanpao on its June 3 edition, asked whether the news report carried in Hueiyen Lanpao that eleven Churches have been constructed at the area was true. O Joy also sequentially queried who had granted the permission to construct at quarters area, and whether it is in accordance with the rules.

Clarifying the move, O Joy said that the questions were neither raised against the Churches nor the Christians. He said assistance will be provided if the Churches are built at places that do not belong to the government’s quarters.

Asserting that construction of Church at government quarters is against the law, O Joy asked if anyone has acquired patta in the name of the Churches, and did the Churches pay tax to the government. Joy also categorically asked why the ‘Secular’ Progressive Front (SPF) government, is involved in ‘non-secular’ activities. Demanding the eviction of the Churches, MLA O Joy also cautioned that if not such practice is checked on time what will happen when temples and mosques are also constructed at the quarters.

Pointing out that there has been a worship place at the CM’s Bungalow, O Joy also demanded that it should also be removed. He further urged to respect the democratic principle of the land and to defend the secularism of the country.

Responding to the motion, Chief Minister O Ibobi said that he just doesn’t want to say during whose government the construction of the Church had began. He said some leaders had leased out plots for roadside store/paan dukan, allowed the construction of AMSU office within the DM College campus, and turned the open space into a local playground within the campus. He said to make up these things have become a challenging task.

CM Ibobi, who is also the leader of the House, said that no building is allowed to be constructed in government’s office premises. He also reminded the Cabinet decision to ban the construction of individual or NGOs’ offices within government’s office or educational institutions. Ibobi said, as such, the Churches have also to be evicted from government quarters.

He also said that no law has been followed in the state while pointing out that some government offices in Moreh have also been destroyed and occupied by villagers. To prevent such occurrence in future, concerned government department will be issued land patta of the office. All buildings against the law will be evicted. Ibobi also urged the Churches to be constructed at suitable places while also suggesting the construction of one or two Churches so that the government could also extend help.

CM Ibobi further said that if the NGOs’ offices in government premises are not shifted in time, the same will be destroyed with the help of bulldozers. He also said that no patta might have been issued to the Churches located at PWD Quarters area in Lamphel while assuring the House to oversee it and announce it before the end of the Assembly.


Hueiyen News Service