An important one-day session of the Manipur assembly is scheduled to be held on Tuesday and is expected to center discussions around the ongoing ethnic tensions gripping the state. The clashes between non-tribal Meitei and tribal Kuki groups, along with their sub-tribes, have wreaked havoc in the state since May 3. Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh announced on Saturday that the fourth session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly will take place on August 29, focusing on the current state of affairs.
Several resolutions related to the ethnic crisis could be introduced during the session, news agency IANS reported BJP sources as saying.
On the recommendations of the state cabinet, Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey called for the monsoon session of the state assembly on August 29. This move follows demands from the primary opposition party, the Congress, and various other organisations, urging the assembly to convene and deliberate on the ongoing ethnic turmoil.
The previous assembly session occurred in March, and standard practice dictates that at least one assembly session must take place every six months.
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Former CM Okram Ibobi Singh Criticises 1-Day Manipur Session
The Congress legislature, under the leadership of former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, had previously met the Governor, calling for a special assembly session under Article 174 (1) of the Constitution.
Congress leaders advocating for the President's rule in Manipur have asserted that the state Assembly offers the most appropriate platform for discussing and debating the ongoing turmoil. It would enable the introduction and discussion of measures to restore normalcy.
However, Okram Ibobi Singh criticised the one-day assembly session stating that it serves only as a superficial gesture and lacks public interest.
"I attended the meeting of the business advisory committee (BAC) today (Saturday) and learnt that the session will be just for a day. Since it is a constitutional obligation to hold a session before September 2, Tuesday’s session has been called. The agenda is going to be obituary references," Okram said, adding, "In my experience, on a day when obituary references are taken up, no other business is discussed," he said, as quoted by news agency ANI.
#WATCH | On the upcoming Assembly session on August 29, former Manipur CM and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh says, "We do not accept the proposed time allocation for the upcoming monsoon session. We requested at least five days but they (govt) said that because of this present… pic.twitter.com/CwjFir2i4J
— ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2023
He proposed extending the session for at least five days
Meanwhile, a group of 10 tribal MLAs, including seven from the ruling BJP party, have demanded a separate administrative setup for the tribal communities since May 12, IANS reported. Among these tribal legislators, two are ministers - Letpao Haokip and Nemcha Kipgen.
These tribal representatives have expressed concerns about attending the assembly session in Imphal due to security reasons.
As per an IANS report, five MLAs from the Naga People’s Front (NPF) are expected to participate in the session, although an official announcement of their decision is pending.
The NPF holds two ministerial positions in the 12-member council led by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.
The state has been grappling with severe unrest, leading to more than 160 casualties and over 600 injuries since the onset of ethnic violence on May 3. The turmoil originated when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organized in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community's request for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
In light of the escalating ethnic conflict, around 70,000 individuals, including men, women, and children from diverse communities, have been displaced. They are currently accommodated in 350 camps established within Manipur's schools, government premises, and auditoriums. Additionally, several thousand individuals have sought refuge in neighboring states such as Mizoram.
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