"Time to show Manipur is capable of..."
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 07 2023:
Rueing the failure of the forty valley MLAs to perform their sworn duties, socio-political commentator Chongtham Bijoy has asserted that it is time to show the Centre that Manipur is capable of self-governance.
Speaking to media persons at his residence at Lamphel, Ch Bijoy said that at such a critical juncture, it is imperative for the valley MLAs to convene a special Assembly session to deliberate over the prolonged conflict, create a roadmap detailing the plans to be undertaken by the Government and submit the same during the ongoing monsoon session of the parliament.
He added that the roadmap should be submitted before the Prime Minister and Home Minister speaks on the issue in the parliament so that the Centre might be apprised beforehand.
At a time when the elected representatives of the people in the valley should be at the frontline, empowering and leading the people, the MLAs are instead behaving like soldiers who desert their comrades in times of war, Ch Bijoy said.
Thus he urged the political leaders to refrain from behaving like "deserters" .
Saying that the Manipur Government and State Assembly have given ample opportunities to the MLAs to carry out their duties, he added that their performance in the midst of this turmoil has been dismal.
Further, he pointed out that in case of Kuki MLAs, they have stood firmly by their demands while the Naga MLAs have also protected the interest of the Naga people.
It is only among the valley MLAs that differences in opinion and disunity have emerged, he observed.
Ch Bijoy termed it disappointing that the people's representatives have chosen to remain silent during such a crucial moment while sending off their families outside the State.
Maintaining that Manipur has been 'remote-controlled' by the Centre for quite some time, he appealed to the elected representatives to desist from appearing helpless to perform their duties without the Centre's command.
"It is time to show the Central Government that we are capable of governing ourselves and making the right decisions", he asserted.
Commenting over the deployment of huge numbers of Central Forces in the State, he pointed out that this points at a clear indication of threat of external aggression.
Maintaining that the number of central security forces deployed in the State are too large to only be for the purpose of containing the violence, he urged the people to refrain from expecting the Centre to protect the people against external aggression.
Continuing further, the social commentator maintained that not all Kuki militants under SoO agreements are insurgents.
They do not have any set ideologies but they are private armies of drug lords, he alleged.
In the same vein, he claimed that the main work of the Kuki militants under SoO pact is extortion and interfering in times of elections.
"They are the reason why there are no elections but 'selection' in the hill areas", he continued.
Thus, Ch Bijoy also appealed for an Assembly resolution to abrogate the SoO agreement as soon as possible.