(Manipur Congress calls the day :: - “dark day in the history of the parliamentary democracy of India.”
The 10-minutes Monsoon session of the Manipur assembly was crucial as without the state would have plunged into a constitutional crisis. It is mandatory under the constitution to ensure assembly and parliament sessions every six months, and this session saved the say for beleaguered Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
This was the all important 4th session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly. It was held for merely about 10 minutes amid sloganeering by Congress and was marked by en masse boycott by 10 Kuki lawmakers including from the ruling BJP. Of course besides Meitei MLAs, 10 Naga legislators attended the proceedings, says 'Ukhrul Times'.
The session quickly descended into chaos due to the sloganeering and resulting in its adjournment without any substantial proceedings.
Speaker Th Satyabrata Singh urged the opposition members to maintain the decorum but they continued the ruckus, following which Singh adjourned the House stating that it was not possible to continue the session.
The Manipur assembly had last convened for the budget session in February-March.
The Congress MLAs demanded the session to be extended for five days for discussing the prevailing situation in the state.
For the last four months, Manipur has been torn apart after the ethnic conflict between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo broke out on May 3.
There was no question hour or private member motion.
Three resolutions were passed in the House amid all the chaos, according to official sources including one for maintaining harmony without any discrimination.
The House also resolved to strive for peace through talks and to make an appeal to shun violence.
Manipur Congress calls Aug 29 the “dark day in parliamentary history
The Manipur Congress leaders including former Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh have called August 29, 2023, as the “dark day in the history of the parliamentary democracy of India.”
The Congress leaders also hoisted a black flag while announcing that the day will be observed as a “dark day” by the party.
Addressing reporters at Congress Bhavan at Imphal, CLP leader Ibobi Singh said the BJP-led government in
Manipur under Chief Minister N Biren Singh has made a mockery of parliamentary democracy.
Three-term Chief Minister Ibobi Singh alleged that the government disregarded the rules and procedures
of the assembly. The Opposition proposed various agendas including a private member resolution to
safeguard the territorial integrity of Manipur while deliberating on the crisis prevailing in the state but nothing
was taken up, he said.
“At the same time, the government did not clarify whether the session was an emergency, short notice or a regular
one even as the members of the Opposition wished to know,” he said.
“If it was a regular session, the Governor should have summoned it 15 days prior to the scheduled
session. However, this was not done”, he said adding, “So, today’s session would not be a regular session as
the notification regarding summoning of the session by the Governor was not given timely”.
The CLP leader said the protest with the “Save Democracy” placard was not only for the state of Manipur
but for the entire nation. He said the Congress strongly condemned not considering the private member
resolution that was submitted to the assembly to discuss the present turmoil in Manipur.
The notice of private member’s resolution was submitted to the secretary, Manipur Legislative Assembly on August 25
signed by the five Congress MLAs.
The private member’s resolution given by the Congress MLAs under Rule 105 of Rules of Procedure and
Conduct of Business in the Manipur Legislative Assembly states the present situation of the state following
the crisis that broke out on May 3, 2023; an urgent need of restoring peace, tranquillity and harmony
among different ethnicities and communities in the state; an emergent necessity for every Member of this
august House, which represents the entire will of the people of the state, to come together for the entire people of Manipur.
The notice of private members’ resolution further mentioned that “This House unanimously resolves that the territorial, administrative and financial integrity of the State of Manipur shall be preserved, protected, maintained and honoured to restore peace and harmony in the State, and also urges upon the Union Government to ensure peace in Manipur.”
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