Just a one day session is blot on democracy : Joy
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 27 2023: The one day Assembly session scheduled to be held on August 29 will be written in black ink in the history of Indian Parliamentary democracy, said former Law Minister and veteran politician Okram Joy today.

At his residence at Kakwa today, the former Law Minister said the one day session called on August 29 is "controversial" and it is "against" the rule of procedure and conduct of business of the Manipur Assembly.

While the State Cabinet had earlier decided to hold the Assembly session on August 21, the date of the session was changed to August 29.This is against all conventions, he said.

According to the Indian Constitution, an Assembly session is convened every six months.

The August 29 session has been called solely to save the N Biren Singh led Government, and is not in line with the common interests of the people, said O Joy.

The August 29 session will remain forever written with black ink in the history of the Indian Parliamentary democracy.

The nature and the purpose of the session is to suppress the voice of the MLAs and the people, he claimed.

Manipur at present is facing 7 years of devastation like situation.

While the whole State was burning and people were dying everyday, the BJP Government in the Centre "didn't allow" the MPs of the State to speak in the Parliament's monsoon session.

"The MPs were suffering from cold and cough and their throats were kept locked," Joy said, hinting that the MPs didn't speak as they were expected to in the Parliament.

"Like in the Parliament, the double engine Government is trying to lock the throats here too.

In the August 29 session, the MLAs will not be given any chance to thoroughly discuss the present issue," said O Joy.

There have been incidents of some BJP MLAs and others in the ruling party expressing "dissent" against Chief Minister N Biren Singh and they had even submitted a "representation" to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior leaders.

Now, let's see how these MLAs raise their voice against N Biren's leadership in the Assembly session.

"Expressing dissent against N Biren in Delhi and praising him in Imphal...people will be able to see how these politicians do in the Assembly session on August 29," said O Joy.

The veteran politician further asserted that the N Biren Singh led State Government is in a sorry state and is like "a patient in the ICU who depends on oxygen supply from Delhi" .

"Chief Minister N Biren Singh led Government is like a patient in the ICU [Intensive Care Unit].

When Delhi cuts the oxygen supply, Biren's Government will die," O Joy said.

He continued that things that have never happened in India's long history of Parliamentary democracy have happened in Manipur under N Biren Singh.

"N Biren Singh has governed the State by going beyond the rules of the Parliamentary system of democracy, which is sad.

This is not jealousy talking.

N Biren Singh hasn't done all bad, he has also done good for the State on occasions," O Joy said.

In a democracy, the Opposition's role is like that of a brake of a vehicle.

People don't use vehicles which don't have brakes.

Like vehicles without brakes would meet an accident, a Government without a proper Opposition will also meet an accident and fail.

"The CM must know this," he added.

The Assembly session is for debate, not quarrel.

It is where all major issues are discussed thoroughly.

It is to strengthen governance and maintain peace, O Joy said.

Manipur's territorial integrity is clearly protected by the Indian Constitution's Article 363 which bars interference by Courts in disputes arising out of certain treaties and agreements.

The demand for a separate administration or a separate State by the Kuki narco-terrorists will never be realised, he said.

It will be good for the Kuki narco-terrorists to know and understand that a plan to create Greater Mizoram including Churachandpur in 1986 had failed due to the protection given to Manipur's territorial integrity by Article 363, he said.

O Joy stated that the 10 Kuki MLAs should discard their "unrealistic" demand for a separate administration or creation of a Greater Mizoram.

Instead, they should put in all efforts to bring about reconciliation and allow people of all communities to live in peace and coexist together like before.

The unrealistic demand for a separate administration has taken many lives and displaced thousands of people, he said.

Manipur is not like Kashmir in any way.

Manipur got independence before India got its.

Before merger with the Union of India, Manipur had a democratically elected Government and she had her own Cabinet Ministers, added the veteran political leader.

If the Government of India disrespects and tries to break Manipur's integrity, then it will be the same as India breaking the merger agreement [signed on September 21, 1949].If India breaks the State's integrity, Manipur will return to its pre-merger state, said O Joy.

He continued that the Government must take strict action against the 10 Kuki MLAs who have openly sought to destroy and disintegrate Manipur's integrity.

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