Dr Meinya moves amendment bill
Source: The Sangai Express
New Delhi, April 28 2012:
Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency MP Dr Thokchom Meinya has introduced a Private Member Bill in the Lok Sabha today in order to protect and preserve the territorial integrity of the State of Manipur for all time to come.
The Constitutional Amendment Bill contemplates insertion of new Article 371 CA in the Constitution of India as a special provision for Manipur.
According to this Constitutional Amendment Bill, the Article 3 of the Constitution of India shall not apply to the State of Manipur; that means Centre's power and authority to change the boundary of any State of the Union under Article 3 shall not exist in the case of the State of Manipur.
The new Article 371 CA envisages complete protection and preservation of the geographical area of the State of Manipur which existed at the time of its merger with the Indian Union in 1949 .
Manipur has been recognized as a political entity having a geographical boundary, a demographic identity and a long glorious history and tradition, Dr Meinya stated while moving the Bill.
Manipur has a long history of monarchy for more than two thousand years.
Since the coronation of King Pakhangba in circa 36 AD, it has been a stable monarchy hardly interrupted by any outsider or invader.
In its long history, Manipur was occupied only twice by external forces.
First the Burmese occupied Manipur for seven years (1819�1825) and then the Britishers (1891�1947) .
Then Manipur remained an independent princely state in between 1947 to 1949 till it merged with the Union of India.
The Merger Agreement was signed between the Government of India and the then Maharaja of Manipur on September 21, 1949, which came into force with effect from October 15, 1949 .
The territorial area of Manipur which existed at the time of merger must be respected and made sacrosanct and preserved, Dr Meinya asserted.
Despite sporadic instances of feuds and clashes among and between the communities and ethnic groups, the spirit of peaceful co-existence still exists among the people of Manipur.
"The fact remains that Manipur belongs to the people of Manipur.
This political entity called Manipur must be protected and safeguarded in the interest of the people of Manipur", stated the MP from Manipur.
For about three years from 1947 to 1949 the princely State of Manipur remained a buffer-state between India and Burma (Myanmar) .
Ultimately, Manipur joined the Union of India on October 15, 1949 and at that time the geographical area of Manipur was about 22, 327 sq.
km.
The sanctity of this geographical area of Manipur which existed at the time of merger with the Union of India must be given a constitutional protection and safeguard, he demanded.
Dr Meinya further reminded that a series of resolutions were adopted by the Manipur Legislative Assembly for protection of the territorial integrity of Manipur, the latest being the one adopted on June 12, 2002 .