Manipur: Congress stages walkout from Assembly; to boycott remaining sittings

Imphal, Aug 9 (IANS) Opposition Congress MLAs in Manipur walked out of the Assembly on Friday and announced to boycott the remainder of the session in protest against the rejection of their motions by the Speaker on issues relating to the continuing ethnic unrest in the state since May last year. 

The Assembly session, which started on July 31, will continue till August 12.

Congress Legislative Party leader and three-time former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh later told mediapersons that the party MLAs were not being allowed by Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh to raise urgent and relevant issues in the House.

He added that the ethnic crisis in the state remains unresolved even after more than 15 months.

“We had urged the government to thoroughly discuss the ethnic crisis and to find out ways and means to resolve the turmoil. We also proposed to adopt a unanimous resolution to approach the Centre as well as the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) for urgent intervention. But the treasury bench as well as the Speaker opposed our proposals," he said.

“All the five Congress MLAs moved five private members’ resolutions separately seeking an appointment with the Prime Minister. But these were disallowed by the Speaker,” Singh said.

He also said the Congress suggested that all 60 MLAs of the state, including the 10 tribal legislators who are boycotting the Assembly sessions since May last year citing insecurity in Imphal, can meet the Prime Minister to apprise him about the prevailing situation in Manipur and appeal to resolve the crisis.

The veteran Congress leader said that Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has already told the Assembly that the ethnic crisis was triggered by external forces and caused by other geo-political aspects, necessitating a thorough discussion in the House and with the Central government.

Since the Manipur crisis, according to the Chief Minister, has been triggered by external forces, discussions should also be held with the Defence Minister (Rajnath Singh) and the Home Minister (Amit Shah), the Congress leader pointed out.