11 minute session : Joy tears apart BJP Govt
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 30 2023: It wasn't the Opposition Congress that prevented the Assembly session from discussing the present crisis, rather it was the BJP legislators who "ran away" from discussing the issue, said veteran politician and former Law Minister Okram Joy today.

He said not a single agenda that would discuss the present crisis was included in the Business list prepared by the Business Advisory Committee.

At his residence at Kakwa, O Joy, who was elected seven times to Manipur Legislative Assembly in the past, said the Manipur Government created a new record when it held a merely 11 minute long session yesterday with the Chief Minister addressing the House "beyond" the Rule of Procedures and Conduct of Business.

11 minute session : Joy tears apart BJP Govt

He said the fourth session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly should have discussed the present crisis in depth and taken a resolution, as demanded by the people, to safeguard Manipur's integrity. "The MLAs and Ministers of the Ruling party sat for only 11 minutes and ran away without discussing the present crisis.

This was very unfortunate," he said to media persons.

The Assembly session is held every six months in accordance with the Constitution.

The Government knows this.

However, it didn't convene a normal sitting to discuss the key issues and problems people of the State are facing today.

By not holding a normal sitting of the Assembly, the Government has wilfully ignored the suffering of the people who have been affected and displaced by the series of violence that have happened in the State since May 3, O Joy said.

"They [legislators in the ruling party] are representatives of the people of Manipur.

Why were they afraid of discussing the State's issues in the Assembly ?" he asked.

In the recent monsoon session of the Parliament, the MPs of the State were "not allowed to speak" on the Manipur crisis by the BJP leadership.

Likewise, no MLAs of the ruling party were "allowed to speak" in the State Assembly session held yesterday, O Joy claimed.

"Since May 3, the Kuki narco-terrorists have attacked, killed many civilians, burnt hundreds of houses, raped women and displaced people by the thousands from their homes.

Now, my question to the MLAs in the ruling party is whose words carry more weight and whose words do they take more seriously, the people's cry or the BJP high command's words?" asked O Joy.

He said the State Government's first priority should be to put out the fire burning in Manipur, protect State's integrity and bring peace.

If the ruling MLAs and the Chief Minister do not want to talk about Manipur, what will be the fate of the people? It seems the ruling party has no love for the people, he said.

When the agenda of an Assembly session is set by the Business Advisory Committee, the business agenda yesterday didn't include any of the motions/agenda including a Private Member Resolution raised by the Opposition Congress to the Speaker to discuss the present crisis in Manipur, he said.

"Furthermore, matters not listed in the business list are not discussed in a session.

To discuss such matters not included in the business list, "Business if any" is conventionally included in the list.

However, the business list yesterday didn't mention or include these words (Business if any).

Why were the words not included?" .

What the Chief Minister did in the House yesterday "to end the session" by only taking up obituary reference and BAC report "was outside the bound of the Constitution".

People can see through the ruling party's design yesterday not to discuss the present crisis, said O Joy.

He continued that after the 11-minute Assembly session yesterday, PWD Minister Govindas Konthoujam of the ruling party held a press conference where he charged and blamed the Opposition Congress for disrupting and preventing the session from discussing the present crisis.

This charge, the Minister levelled against the Opposition Congress was very unfortunate.

He (Govindas Konthoujam) should not speak whatever as if the people of Manipur are not aware of the Rule of Procedures and Conduct of Business of the Assembly, said the former Law Minister.

O Joy reiterated that the Business list prepared by the Business Advisory Committee did not contain any agenda that would discuss the present crisis in Manipur.

What the Congress MLAs did was demand the inclusion of an agenda to discuss the present crisis.

The Congress demanded the House to extend the period of the session by a few more days to thoroughly discuss the crisis.

The Opposition was urging the Government to enforce the Rule of Law and save democracy.

The people of Manipur know who were in the right and who were wrong, said O Joy.

He further stated that he wants to urge the Governor to disregard the Assembly session held yesterday as it was "unconstitutional" and "shameful" before the world.

Explaining, O Joy said the Chief Minister spoke for two minutes at the start of the session and adopted a resolution.

Resolutions come under Rule No 105 and Rule 107 says how a resolution should be drafted.

A resolution can't be taken in whatever manner.

Without the Speaker moving the resolution to pass, the Chief Minister himself passed the resolution in the House.

The resolution shouldn't stand as it was taken against the rule, he said.

Further, the Chief Minister's conduct of the House by continuously, in a single address, giving condolence, presenting resolution, talking about ISRO's moon landing achievement and praising Prime Minister was outside the rules.

By disregarding the 11-minute Assembly session, a fresh and normal session should be convened to thoroughly discuss the present crisis, O Joy said.

The veteran politician also claimed that it is not the Congress that wants to bring PR in Manipur but MLAs from within the ruling party.

While some MLAs in the ruling had asserted that they "don't have confidence" in N Biren led Government, Union Minister RK Ranjan had earlier stated that there was complete "failure" of law and order in Manipur.

Even the ruling party's Minister Nemcha Kipgen had sought leave from the Assembly session citing security reasons, he said.

At the press meet, Ex MLA RK Anand said the present crisis in Manipur is far from over.

The Government should understand the plight and wishes of the people and convene a proper session to discuss the crisis to restore normalcy and peace.

He blamed the Centre for dragging the conflict between the Kukis and the Meiteis and asserted that Centre's help is indispensable to bring peace in Manipur.

He further asserted that the people too have lost faith in the civil society organisations.

If they are unable to lead the people, they should surrender.

The people themselves are quite capable of protecting Manipur's integrity, he said.

Former Law Minister and National People's Party working president Langpoklakpam Jayantakumar was present in the press meet.