The Joint Action Committee (JAC), an umbrella organization of the candidates for the post of rifleman in the 10th and 11th Indian Reserved Battalion (IRB), has said they will boycott BJP in the forthcoming Manipur Assembly election if the recruitment test results are not declared before the enforcement of the model code of conduct.
Keithelakpam Naoba, secretary of the JAC of the 10th and 11th IRB riflemen 2019 batch, in a statement, said that several unemployed youths had appeared for the job interview for various posts in departments such as education, water supply, power, veterinary in the past few years.
Former police officer Brinda Thounaojam recently said that as the State coffer was almost empty, the riflemen were not recruited as their salary could not be paid.
Meanwhile, in the wake of continuing agitations, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren recently said, “The IRB is a disciplined force. As such, the kind of agitations spearheaded by some candidates would invite official disciplinary action once they are appointed in the force”.
For a long time, the successive Home Ministers have been unable to make timely recruitments despite the fact that there is a big shortage of police and paramilitary personnel for normal duty and counter-insurgency operations.
Stating that the long-pending results have hurt the sentiments of numerous aspiring candidates, the JAC alleged that such an irresponsible act of the Government is victimizing many candidates who are seeking jobs in various departments of the Government.