Imphal: Large number of women organizations of the state have
categorically decried the dropping of Nemcha Kipgen, the lone lady
minister, from the BJP-led coalition government. A BJP MLA, Kipgen
represents Kangpokpi seat in the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district.

Chief minister N Biren Singh yesterday effected a major cabinet
reshuffle in his council of ministers with dropping six ministers,
including three from the BJP, two from its coalition partner NPP and
another partner from LJP, and inducting five new faces.

The women bodies demanded the government to reinstate Nemcha back as minister.

Today, a large number of women from Kangpoki assembly constituency
protested against Nemcha’s removal at the district headquarters. They
also burnt Biren’s effigy.

They held placards reading “Where have the much-hyped BJP’s women’s
empowerment gone?”, “No more woman minister in Manipur Legislative
Assembly, is this the BJP’s true face of women empowerment?”, “BJP’s
spirit of ‘Nari Shakti’ in Manipur is a mere tokenism and gimmickry”,
etc.

Several women organizations of the district and Kangpokpi
constituency. including Kuki Women Union (KWU) Sadar Hills and
Kangpokpi Women Welfare Organization as well as various villages
chief, TSA Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi Town Committee and Kangpokpi Youth
Union, also joined the protest.

KWU Sadar Hills secretary Hethem Kipgen said that Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and the BJP has always been a vocal proponent of women
empowerment and an outspoken votary of giving women their due in the
legislature.

“But, chief minister   Biren in Manipur has shown the true face of
BJP’s women empowerment by dropping the lone woman minister from his
council of ministers,” she charged.

Hethem  added that dropping Nemcha Kipgen from the council of
ministers despite being the lone woman minister is not only
subjugating the women community of the state but ‘underrating and
undervaluing’ the women of her constituency which cannot be considered
softly.

Joining the tirade, Thadou Inpi, general headquarters, lamented that
Nemcha’s removal is unexpected and defeats women empowerment that
leaves the women of the state in general and people of her
constituency in particular in shock.

In a statement, the apex body of Thadou tribe of the state said that
it  is the onus of the government to rectify and re-instate the lone
woman MLA who has brought lots of developments to the state and
Kangpokpi district.

The All Manipur Nupi Marup said that Nemcha’s removal came at a time
when various political parties and the National Federation of Indian
Women are raising voice for increasing women law makers.