Ex-MLA moots Article 371C in place of 371A
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 16 2018: Pointing out that Article 371(A) of the Indian Constitution was enacted only for Nagaland State, ex-MLA of Keishamthong A/C Lisom Ibomcha Singh said that all the communities that have been residing permanently in the State, including Nagas can be given special provision/status by amending Article 371 of the Indian Constitution on the analogy of Article 371 (A) .

He also said that any term and condition of the Framework Agreement that was signed between Government of India (Gol) and NSCN (IM) on August 3, 2015 cannot be implemented in the State as the agreement/accord was signed bilaterally by the said two parties and Manipur was not a signatory party to the agreement.

The ex-MLA decried that MoS for Home Kiren Rijiju misled the August House of Rajya Sabha (Monsoon Session of Rajya Sabha) while replying to a supplementary question (raised in the House on August 1 last by Manipur MP K Bhabananda Singh) in the form of written supplementary/statement/reply that the Indo-Myanmar boundary was 1,472 km out of which 171 km is to be demarcated through a boundary mechanism which both the countries have established.

He claimed that the annual reports of 2013-14 (Para 3.20), 2016-17 (Para 3.24) and 2017-18 (Para 3.19) by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) mentioned that "India shares 1,643 km long border with Myanmar" .

Addressing a press meet held on August 14 at his residence at Keishamthong Lisom Leirak, Imphal West, Ibomcha alleged that the political parties in the State are indulging blame game among each other instead of finding feasible ways to protect the State in the face of multiple major besieging the State.

He claimed that he was not taking up these issues on behalf of any political party but purely in the interest of the State.

Reminding that a report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs was tabled in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha on July 18, he said the report consists many things about Framework Agreement and opined that it (the report) will give more impacts rather than the Framework Agreement.

Saying that Article 371 was added as a special provision with respect to the State of Manipur by the Constitution's 27th Amendment Act, 1971 (with effect from Feb 15, 1972), the ex-MLA informed that the Article 371 does not contain much qualitative things for the State of Manipur.

Article 371 can be amended by applying the analogy of Article 371 (A) and a more comprehensive form of special provisions can be granted to all communities, such as Meiteis, Nagas and Kukis who have been residing permanently in the State since many decades.

This will be welcomed by everyone, he opined.

Stressing on the Indo-Myanmar border controversy, he asserted that the present Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh while he was in the opposition wrote a letter to then PM Manmohan Singh and demanded to immediately halt the Indo-Myanmar border fencing works, re-demarcation of unsettled portion of boundary line, among others.

He asked Rajnath Singh to stick to his stand and convince the PM to translate his demands of the past into action.

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