chtnews.com
News No. 60/2010, March 16, 2010
The United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF) walked out of a meeting on law and order situation at Deputy Commissioner’s office today in protest at being denied the right to speak.
UPDF and other sources said UPDF’s Khagrachari District Unit was invited to attend today’s law and order review meeting at Deputy Commissioner’s office.
As Ujjal Smriti Chakma, the Chief Organiser of the Unit, was down with fever, Ms Kanika Dewan, one of the Organisers of UPDF Khagrachari Unit and General Secretary of the Hill Women’s Federation, attended the meeting held at 11:30am.
“The meeting began half an hour late because the Khagrachari zone commander arrived half an hour late,” a headman, who also participated in the meeting, told chtnews.com.
Most of the selected participants tried to blame UPDF for the deterioration of law and order situation of the town.
However, when Kanika Dewan raised her hand to speak, she was denied the permission to speak.
The Deputy Commissioner, who was presiding over the meeting, refused to allow her to speak on the plea that “it was Ujjal Smriti Chakma who was invited to the meeting.”
“We will allow UPDF to speak only when Ujjal Smriti Chakma attends the meeting.” he was quoted by Kanika Dewan as saying.
Ms Kanika then walked out of the meeting room in protest.
However, before staging the walk-out, she handed out her written statement to the DC and other participants at the meeting.
In a press statement issued after the walk-out, Ms Kanika condemned the undemocratic behaviour of the DC and questioned his neutrality.
In her written statement to the law and order review meeting, she raised nine crucial questions for the Deputy Commissioner to answer.
“In our view, the incidents of Sajek and Khagrachari attacks could have been avoided if the administration had acted neutrally and justly. The local administration can in no way avoid the blame for the incident.” she said.
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