Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 24:
Agitated Opposition members in Lok Sabha today grilled the NDA Government for its inept handling of Manipur crisis and warned it against taking the issue lightly, saying this could even lead to separation of North Eastern State from India.
Sharing members� concern over the situation in North East in general and Manipur in particular, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan said Prime Minister Vajpayee has convened a meeting of Chief Ministers of North East States on July 27 to discuss ways to resolve the issue.
Stating that the Government was aware of the July 31 deadline given by Manipur MLAs to resign en masse if the Government failed to review the ceasefire expansion.
Mahajan said it realized the importance of finding a way out without waiting for a debate in the House or approving the ordinance imposing President�s Rule in Manipur, Mahajan said during question hour in the Lok Sabha that either the members should wait for a discussion when the House takes up approval of the ordinance imposing President�s Rule in Manipur or if the House desired a separate discussion could also be held.
He told them that the HM was expected to have consultations with Opposition leaders on the issue.
He would also convey the feelings of the members to Advani, Mahajan added.
Raising the issue during zero hour, CPI-M leader Somnath Chatterjee asked the Government to take immediate action to resolve the issue as the entire Manipur was burning and wanted to know the basis of the ceasefire decision without consulting the NE Chief Ministers.
The Manipur crisis had its echo in the Rajya Sabha with a Congress member W Angou Singh demanding early withdrawal of the truce.
The MP from Manipur urged MP and the Centre to withdraw the extension of ceasefire immediately.
He regretted that the Centre had taken the decision without consulting the State Government and such a hasty step had resulted in damage to properties worth over Rs 300 crores besides loss of several lives.
Supporting the Member, several Congress members demanded an early statement from the Prime Minister on the issue.