Alfred, Bimol take oath amid 'Manipur, Manipur' chants
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, June 25 2024:
'Manipur...Manipur' slogans echoed in Parliament as two elected MPs of the state namely Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam of Inner and Alfred Kanngam Arthur of Outer Manipur seats took oath as Member of Parliament on Tuesday.
Both Dr Bimol Akoijam and Alfred Arthur were elected on INC ticket in the 18th Lok Sabha election.
As Dr Bimol, clad in a Meetei traditional scarf embossed with Ibudhou Pakhangba emblem, ascended the podium beside the protein speaker to take oath as Member of Parliament, entire members of INDIA bloc stood up from their respective seats and raised 'Manipur...Manipur' and 'Justice for Manipur' slogans, which filled the Parliament.
As part of the protest against alleged violation of Indian Constitution by the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, INDIA bloc members are taking oath by holding a copy of Indian Constitution.
Accordingly, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seated in the first row of the Opposition bench handed over a copy of Indian Constitution to party's MP KC Venugopal seated besides him and the latter handed over the same to Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam so that he holds Constitution copy while taking oath.
Dr Bimol took oath as Member of Parliament in Manipuri by holding a copy of the Indian Constitution.
Just as he finished taking the oath with 'Jai Hind, Ima Leibakna Yaiphare, Manipur Imana Yaiphare' and went to ink his signature on the Parliament register, members of INDIA bloc once again raised 'Manipur...Manipur' and 'Justice for Manipur' slogans thereby echoing the Parliament again.
The same 'Manipur...Manipur' and 'Justice for Manipur' slogans were chanted when Alfred K Arthur of Outer Manipur too went to the podium to take oath wearing a Tangkhul traditional shawl strapped on his left shoulder.
He took oath in English but ended taking the oath with a slogan in Hindi 'Manipur Me Nyay Dilaiye, Desh Bachaiye', calling for justice to Manipur and save the nation.
Notably, the ongoing violence since May 3, 2023 has been causing immense suffering to the entire people of Manipur and Manipur issue became election agenda as many political parties campained on the issue in the 18th Lok Sabha election.
In solidarity with the suffering of people of Manipur, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi even started his 'Bharat Jodo Naya Yatra' from Manipur.
Eventually, INC won both the Lok Sabha seats from Manipur in the election.
Bimol Akoijam is a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi, while Arthur is a former MLA from the Ukhrul Assembly constituency.
Congress wrested both Lok Sabha seats in Manipur from the ruling BJP and its ally, the Naga People's Front (NPF) in the recently concluded elections.
Bimol Akoijam defeated BJP candidate and state Education Minister Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh by a margin of 109,801 votes.
In the tribal-reserved Outer Manipur parliamentary seat, Alfred Kanngam Arthur defeated NPF nominee Kachui Timothy Zimik by a margin of 85,418 votes.
Earlier, Congress accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of abandoning all responsibility for the "BJP-manufactured crisis" in Manipur.
Since May 3, 2023, when large-scale violence broke out in the state, the Prime Minister has not visited Manipur even once.
Congress also criticised the BJP-led Centre for its handling of the Manipur situation and demanded the dismissal of the Biren Singh-led government.