Cong demands House session
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 14 2018: Pointing out that due notification for the State Assembly session scheduled on August 16 has not been issued yet, Congress party has asserted that the BJP-led Government should convene an Assembly session if it is bold enough and genuinely cares for the people of Manipur.

Speaking to media persons at Congress Bhavan here this afternoon, MPCC spokesman Kh Joykisan said that an Assembly session is quite necessary in view of the growing anxiety among the people about possible extension of Article 371A to the State.

The Government convened an Assembly session on August 10 but it has been postponed to August 16 for unknown reasons, he said.

The Government, by deferring the scheduled session, has been deceiving and taking the people as well as the elected representatives for a ride, he alleged.

All the MLAs suspended their official tours and other activities because an Assembly session had been convened but it was postponed.

Due notification for the Assembly session scheduled on August 16 has not been issued yet while tomorrow is a holiday, Joykisan said.

Many CSOs and women activists recently gave an ultimatum to the MPCC with a clear instruction that the State Assembly must adopt a resolution to the effect that Article 371A is not extended to Manipur.

What the women activists demanded is a commitment of Congress party but it is the responsibility of the BJP-led Government to convene an Assembly session, said the MPCC spokesman.

Even though Chief Minister N Biren declared that Manipur will never break apart, he could not give any reply to the Government of India's plan to extend Article 371A to Manipur which would create a State within a State and sharply polarise ethnic communities, he said.

Congress party's questions may not be answered but the Government is answerable to the people and the Government's silence on the people's uproar is highly questionable, Joykisan continued.

If the BJP-led Government refuses to convene an Assembly session at the earliest, it would be assumed that the Government is a renegade which is only good at rhetoric.

Hareshwar Goswami, another, MPCC spokesman, said that present location of BP 81 near Kwatha Khunou is not at its right place.

But apart from the Central Government, the State Government too has been contending that there is no controversy over BP 81, he decried.

As per an agreement signed between India and Burma in 1967, BP 81 should 120 yards above the confluence of Namchet Lok and Namjupha Lok.

The agreement was signed based on a joint survey carried out in 1896, Hareshwar said.

All these facts were known to Surveyor General of India who led a Central team to Kwatha Khunou sometime back but he maintained that there is no border dispute.

The team came to the State just for a visit, not for inspection or verification as they did not bring any tool or equipment.

If the present location of BP 81 is taken as correct, at least one square Kms of Manipuri's territory will go to Myanmar as and when BP 81 is connected with BP 80 and BP 82, he added.

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