House to study CAB with legal experts today
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 01 2019:
Together with legal/Constitutional experts, Members of Manipur Legislative Assembly would study CAB 2016 and how the State's interest can be protected during lunch hour in the State Assembly tomorrow.
Congress MLAs K Govindas, DD Thaisii, Dr Chaltonlien Amo, Kh Joykisan and K Ranjit put up a private member resolution today seeking a unanimous resolution of the House not to promulgate CAB 2016 as an Ordinance and send the same resolution to the Central Government.
But Chief Minister N Biren expressed keen desire to first study the Bill minutely together with legal and Constitutional experts and explore a way to protect the State's interests.
After listening to the Chief Minister, Speaker Y Khemchand suggested that all the Members of the House may study the Bill together with legal and Constitutional experts in his office chamber during lunch hour tomorrow.
He then asked the Chief Minister to invite legal and Constitutional experts to the discussion.
Raising the private member resolution, Govindas pointed out that CSOs, student organisations and political parties raised vehement objection in the entire North East region against the Bill after it was passed in the Lok Sabha as people feared that the Bill would have disastrous impacts on the demography and identity of the indigenous people of the region.
People of Manipur have a nagging fear that the State may become another Tripura where non-local people have completely dominated the indigenous communities in all spheres of life.
"We have been expecting that the State Government would move a resolution to protect the State's interest vis-a-vis CAB 2016", Govindas said.
He called upon the House to jointly urge the Government of India not to bring the Bill ever again or promulgate it as an Ordinance before the election code of conduct comes into force.
Reminding that the BJP president vowed to bring back the Bill if NDA is re-elected to power, he urged the House to adopt a resolution against CAB 2016.Ex-Chief Minister O Ibobi said that CAB 2016 would lapse on June 3 but people are still apprehensive that the Central Government may promulgate it as an Ordinance before the election code of conduct comes into force.
Chief Minister N Biren stated that just as the people of Manipur have been opposing the Bill, the State Government has made it clear that the Bill would not be accepted until and unless a special clause which would exempt Manipur from the Bill is inserted.
The Central Government has been told not to bring back the Bill until a special clause is inserted, Biren asserted.
"We cannot be driven by emotion.
We must abide by the Constitution and law", he said.
The Manipur People Bill was passed because the Government is committed to protect the State's indigenous people.
The State Cabinet has adopted a resolution to garner presidential assent to the Manipur People Bill and the same has been forwarded to the Central Government, Biren said.
Asserting that it is not known yet which party would come to power after the election and whether the new Government would bring back CAB 2016 or not, the Chief Minister asked how could the State Assembly can adopt a resolution on the Bill under such situation.
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