House mourns demise of members, MP, secretary
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR
Imphal, August 20 2021:
The 13th session (Monsoon session) of the 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly began on Friday with obituary references on the demise of six former members of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, one former Member of Parliament and former secretary of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.
Chief minister N Biren Singh, who is also the Leader of the House, while initiating the obituary references, said that the untimely demise of former Lok Sabha MP from Outer Manipur Paokai Haokip, Keishamthong MLA Laisom Lalit Singh, Lamsang MLA Wangkheimayum Brajabidhu Singh, Oinam MLA Dr Irengbam Ibohalbi Singh, Kshetrigao MLA Thang-jam Nandakishor Singh, Karong MLA Purul Shepu Henry Paotei, Kshetrigao MLA Vivek Raj Wangkhem and Manipur Legislative Assembly former secretary Thangjam Megharaj Singh was shocking as most of them have fell prey to the Covid-19 .
The chief minister informed the House that Paokai Haokip, the first MP from Kuki community, was elected for two terms (4th and 5th Lok Sabha) .
He worked for better relationship between hills and the valley along with working for statehood of Manipur, said the CM.
He also recounted that Laisom Lalit was elected to the state assembly in 1984 on INC ticket and went on to become the finance minister while W Brajabidhu was elected three times in 2002, 2007 and 2012 and held the post of minister of state of minor irrigation and CADA.
He was a successful entrepreneur and established Rural Development Organisation for imparting training in various courses.
Continuing his obituary remarks, the CM said Dr I Ibohalbi was elected in 2007 and 2012 and Th Nandakishor in 2007 .
Purul Shepu Henry Paotei was elected in 1995 and in 2002 and before joining politics, he worked as a journalist, government school headmaster and in Finance Department along with being a social and student activist while Vivek Raj Wangkhem was elected as a member of the house in 2000 in the by-election.
He again got elected in 2002 and went on to become a minister, the CM maintained.
N Biren further said that Th Megharaj Singh served as Manipur Legislative Assembly secretary from 2006 to 2010 .
Saying that the deaths will create a void, the leader of the House also shared his sorrow with the bereaved families.
In his obituary remark, opposition leader O Ibobi recalled the good times he shared with the late members.
Deputy chief minister Y Joykumar, education minister S Rajen Singh, MLAs AK Mirabai, Karam Shyam, N Indrajit, L Radhakishore, DD Thaisii, K Ranjit Singh, Th Lokeshwar Singh and N Loken also joined the obituary references.
Later, Manipur Legislative Assembly speaker Y Khemchand moved a resolution for expressing grief and sorrow over the demise of former" members and a two-minute silence was observed by all members as a mark of respect to the departed soul.