N Biren is the most incompetent CM : MPCC
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 03 2023: Accusing Chief Minister N Biren of diverting public attention by citing 'large number' of CSOs instead of working sincerely to bring a solution to the ongoing conflict and restore normalcy in the State, the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has asserted that N Biren is the most incompetent Chief Minister.

Speaking to media persons at Congress Bhavan here today, MPCC vice-president and senior spokesman Hareshwar Goswami reminded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi refused to speak even a single word on the Manipur violence for a very long time.

He finally spoke on the crisis only after Congress and other Opposition parties raised a no confidence motion in the Parliament.

N Biren is the most incompetent CM : MPCC

But he spoke as a BJP leader, not as the country's Prime Minister, said the Congress spokesperson.

BJP was charging that the Prime Minister could not speak at length on the Manipuri crisis because of the disturbances created by the Congress party.

In the same manner, BJP Minister Govindas Konthoujam claimed that the Manipur crisis could not be discussed in the one-day State Assembly session held on August 29 due to the ruckus created by Congress MLAs.

The same line was echoed by former Chief Minis- ter Radhabinod Koijam.

Such a comment from a veteran politician and former Chief Minister is rather unfortunate, Hareshwar said.

Article 174(1) of the Indian Constitution says that there should be an Assembly session every six months.

According to the same Article, the Manipur Legislative Assembly should hold a normal session by September 2 otherwise it would be assumed that there is a Constitutional crisis in the State.

It is a matter of grave concern that the Biren Government could not summon a normal Assembly session by September 2 .

Now the State Assembly is virtually 'null and void', he claimed.

The recent Assembly session defied a judgement passed by a Constitutional bench of the Supreme Court.

Congress party's repeated appeals to hold the Assembly session for at least five days so that the Manipuri crisis could be discussed at length were turned down by the Government, said the MPCC spokesman.

Even a notice was given to the Assembly Speaker as the Rules of Business on the Manipur crisis but the same matter was left out of the business list of the August 29 session, he decried.

Maintaining that the Speaker has the authority to summon the State Assembly on any day, the MPCC vice-president urged the Speaker to convene an Assembly session at the earliest in order to discuss the State's burning issues at length.

He questioned the BJP Government's reluctance to make an announcement on the floor of the Parliament that no separate administration would be allowed and the integrity of Manipur would remain intact.

Taking strong exception to Chief Minister N Biren's assertion that there are too many CSOs and both the Centre and the State Government are confused over whom they should talk with, Hareshwar Goswami pointed out that the CSOs, though large in number, have common demands and aspirations.

Chief Minister N Biren has been making all kinds of incoherent statements on the violent crisis.

On May 21, Biren stated that the violent crisis erupted due to the collapse of law and order.

On June 20, N Biren said that he was responsible for the violent crisis and all the blame should go to him.

The Chief Minister then blamed drug trafficking and illegal immigrants for the violence.

Now he is saying that the Government is unable to work out a solution to the crisis due to the presence of too many CSOs, Hareshwar remarked.

He then asked if there is any problem for the Chief Minister to invite all major organisations to a joint meeting and adopt a decision towards finding a solution to the crisis.

Blaming CSOs and their alleged large number for the Government's failure to explore a solution only exposed that N Biren is the most incompetent Chief Minister, Hareshwar said.

Even though there are many CSOs in Manipur, their common desire is protection of the State's territorial and administrative integrity, he pointed out.

He then questioned the mighty Indian Army's failure to contain a handful of Kuki narco-terrorists.

Asking if the Government of India and the State Government are scheming to annihilate all Meitei people, the MPCC spokesman maintained that creation of buffer or neutral zones is unreasonable.

The Government must take up necessary steps for resettlement of displaced people at their original places and ensure that there is free movement of people and goods on National highways.

NRC should be updated at the earliest with respect to Manipur and Assam Rifles should be replaced by another Central paramilitary force, he added.