Oppn MLAs stage walk-out over passing of Parliamentary Secretary Bill
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, July 13 2012:
Opposition MLA Dr I Ibohalbi and many other MLAs today walked out of the House reacting against the Manipur Parliamentary Secretary Appointment, Salary, Allowance and Miscellaneous Provision Bill 2012 .
Chief Minister Okram Ibobi introduced the Bill in the House today.
During the discussion of the Bill, MLA Dr I Ibohalbi said that the Bill was introduced to persuade MLAs of the ruling party who could not get Ministerial berths.
Terming the Bill as unreasonable, the MLA contended that it has been introduced not for better accountability of the government.
Parliamentary Secretaries have the same status with those of a Minister of State which simply increase the number of Ministers in the government.
He also proposed proper reviewing and discussion of the Bill.
In his response, the Chief Minister pointed out that states like Assam, Punjab and Mizoram have Parliamentary Secretaries.
Since there are only 12 Ministers in the government and each minister has more than one portfolio under their charges, the idea of appointing Parliamentary Secretaries has been conceived to assist the Ministers in the developmental works of various departments.
The Bill was introduced to appoint Parliamentary Secretaries if the situation needed.
In the previous term, no one accepted to become a Parliamentary Secretary, he added.
The Chief Minister further said that there is no problem inside the government and there is no MLAs going after Ministerial berths.
The idea was only to make the government more accountable, the CM said while expressing his desire to pass the Bill.
After hearing the reply of the Chief Minister, MLA Dr I Ibohalbi walked out of the House, stating that he does not want to witness the passing of the Bill.
As soon as, Dr Ibohalbi walked out, other Opposition MLAs Th Shyamkumar, Th Bishwarjit, Kh Joykishan and Kunjo followed him.
Despite the walk out staged by some Opposition MLAs, the Bill was nonetheless passed by the House.