The much-awaited one-day session of the Manipur Assembly on Tuesday did not see any discussion on the ongoing unrest, with the Opposition Congress describing it as a "black day for parliamentary democracy in the state".
The "List of Business" of the House showed that obituary references would be made for five former MLAs and Assembly official, followed by the presentation of the business advisory committee report by chief minister N. Biren Singh.
The Congress claimed that the Chandrayaan-3 mission was clubbed with the obituary reference and that the Speaker did not allow a separate discussion on the unrest.
The 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs in the 60-member House did not participate in the session owing to safety concerns raised earlier. Seven of the 10 are from the BJP.
Manipur Congress president K. Meghachandra said the party's five MLAs protested over the nature of the session "since the ongoing violence was not on the agenda of the House".
“There was no agenda at all, no agenda for the people of Manipur. We wanted a discussion on the prevailing situation but the Speaker declined our request. On the agenda were two issues — obituary references and submission of the business advisory committee report,” Meghachandra said.
The session, the first to be held since the unrest began on May 3, had to be held to avert a constitutional crisis as there cannot be a gap of more than six months between two sessions.
The session lasted less than 15 minutes, Meghachandra said, with the Speaker adjourning the House first for 30 minutes when the Congress pushed for a five-day extension for discussion, among others, on the violence.
The violence has left at least 169 dead and displaced over 67,000 people.
A ruling BJP member said the House was adjourned sine die, after it had resumed after 30 minutes, because of the sustained din created by the Opposition Congress after the scheduled obituary reference and the submission of the business advisory committee report.
He said the House “unanimously” resolved “to work for the oneness and harmony of all the people of Manipur, irrespective of caste, community, region, religion or language”.
The resolution added: “With great sorrow and heavy heart, this House condoles the tragic loss of many lives in the recent violence in the state of Manipur. In times like these, words seem insufficient to express the depth of pain and grief that has befallen families, communities and the entire state. This House also extends its thoughts and condolences to their families and loved ones. May their souls find eternal peace.”
Meghachandra said the resolution was neither read nor discussed in the House.
Two minutes’ silence was observed in memory of the deceased former MLAs and official with chief minister Singh condoling the deaths in his address, and also hailing the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, Meghachandra said.
“But this is not the way it should have been done. The proceedings were totally wrong because other issues such as the Chandrayaan-3 mission should not have been mixed with the obituary reference. As the leader of the House, he (Singh) has the right to speak on other issues but there should have been a separate agenda for these things after getting the nod of the Speaker,” Meghachandra said.
Chief minister Singh continued with the obituary reference amid the protest by the Congress members. He cited rule of procedure (132) to claim that matters which are sub judice do not require separate discussion in the House.
The Supreme Court has acted on several petitions filed in connection with the Manipur unrest and has also passed several orders. There are petitions before Manipur High Court as well.
In his address, Singh also touched upon the success of Chandrayaan-3 and mentioned the scientist from the state — Raghu Ningthoujam — who was part of the mission.
The BJP MLA who accused the Congress of creating a ruckus said: “The Congress continued to protest. They don’t allow Parliament to function, they don’t allow the Assembly to function.”
Meghachandra said: “We protested twice inside the House, during the obituary references and after the proceedings resumed. The proceedings could be held for less than 15 minutes, excluding the adjournment for 30 minutes. We then marched to Congress Bhavan and hoisted a black flag to mark August 29 as a black day for parliamentary democracy in Manipur.”
He added: “The 44 ruling MLAs, including from the BJP, NPP, the NPF and Independents, did not raise the ongoing unrest, nor did they allow us to raise the issue in the interest of the people of Manipur.”
Meghachandra said the Congress had also pressed for a private members’ resolution on Manipur that read: “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 urge upon the Union Government to ensure peace in Manipur.”
He said that since the Speaker didn’t allow the Congress’s demands, its five MLAs, led by former chief minister O. Ibobi Singh, vehemently protested against the session that was “a mere formality to save the state BJP-led government”.
The last Assembly session had ended on March 3 and the next had to be held by September 2. The governor had summoned the one-day session on August 21.
