Nine parties stay aloof from CAB resolution
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 28 2019: Even though a joint meeting of all political parties was held today on the issue of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) 2016, as many as nine political parties namely; CPI, CPI-M, RSP, AIFB, NCP, AAP, BSP, JD-S and PRJA stayed aloof from adopting a common resolution.

Speaking to media persons at Irabot Bhavan here this afternoon, CPI State Secretary L Sotinkumar and PRJA convenor L Erendro said that the nine political parties did not take part in adopting any resolution.

Sotinkumar said that most of the political parties which attended today's meeting asserted that the best way to resolve the issue of CAB 2016 is to get it withdrawn.

They also urged the State Government to convene a special session of the State Assembly.

However, BJP and their allies insisted that the Bill should be given clearance if a clause which would keep Manipur out of harm is inserted in the Bill.

As the ruling parties tried hard to impose their will, there were heated arguments but BJP and their allies refused to budge from their stand, Sotinkumar said.

Even though most of the political parties raised voices of dissent, the Government raised a proposal to send a team comprising one representative each of every political party to New Delhi to lobby with the Central Government so as to insert a clause which would leave Manipur untouched by CAB 2016.As indicated by the words and vocabulary they used during the meeting, the State Government keen to see that the CAB 2016 is passed in the Rajya Sabha too, Sotinkumar alleged.

Asking how can a new clause be inserted in the CAB 2016 without withdrawing it first which has been already passed in the Lok Sabha, Sotinkumar asserted that if any new clause should be inserted in the Bill, it should be withdrawn first.

Even as many political parties demanded a special Assembly session to discuss the CAB issue and take a concrete decision, the Government did not pay any heed, he decried.

Chief Minister N Biren�s refusal to convene a special session of the State Assembly at such a critical situation will go down in the history of Manipur, Sotinkumar said.

N Biren was saying that adoption of a decision in the State Assembly against the passage of CAB 2016 in the Lok Sabha would turn out to be highly insulting to all Parliamentarians.

It was this statement of the Chief Minister which kept away the nine political parties from adopting any decision at today's meeting, Sotinkumar said.

He added that the nine political parties would not be part of any team which may go to New Delhi.

L Erendro said that any trip to Delhi in connection with CAB 2016 would amount to legitimising the Government's intention which is totally contradictory to the people's collective wish.

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