Nine parties insist on withdrawal of CAB
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 13 2019:
Stating that CAB 2016 could be promulgated as an Ordinance or passed either in a joint session of Parliament or in a special session of Rajya Sabha which can be convened any time although the interim Budget Session of Rajya Sabha 2019-20 was adjourned sine-die without tabling the said Bill today, nine political parties in the State have demanded unconditional and complete withdrawal of the Bill.
The nine political parties, namely CPI, CPI (M), AAP, NCP, RSP, PRJA, JDS, BSP and AIFB also stated that they will continue to fight against the Bill along with the public until the Bill is totally withdrawn.
Addressing a press meet held today at Irabot Bhavan, BT Road, CPI State secretary L Sotinkumar who spoke on behalf of the nine political parties said that the people of the State cannot afford to be complacent on the adjournment of the interim Budget Session of Rajya Sabha 2019-20 without tabling CAB 2016 although it gives a sigh of relief at this moment.
He went on to point out that CAB 2016 could be tabled and passed any time either by convening a joint session of Parliament or a special session of Rajya Sabha as the interim session of Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine-die, not prorogued and there is a possibility of promulgating the Bill as an Ordinance.
Decrying that the BJP does not respect the collective wish of the people of the State and North East to completely withdraw CAB 2016, Sotinkumar asserted that the nine political parties will continue to fight against the Bill.
He maintained that the chance of passing CAB 2016 and implement the same as an Act is still very high as there are many leaders in the State who want the Bill to be implemented as an Act after inserting a clause in it.
Alleging that the BJP's unwillingness to withdraw the Bill shows the party's firm determination to implement the said Bill despite strong opposition from the people of the State and other North East States, he claimed that the nine political parties will continue to fight against the BJP's intention of implementing the Bill until the Bill is completely withdrawn.
The CPI, Manipur State Council State secretary urged CM Biren and his Cabinet colleagues to continue lobbying with their Central leaders for unconditional withdrawal of the Bill.
Claiming that the nine political parties have been intensely fighting against CAB 2016 along with the people following the passage of the Bill in the Lok Sabha on January 8, Sotinkumar reiterated that the said political parties will even fight in the Supreme Court if BJP passes the CAB 2016 somehow.
All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) State secretary Khomdram Gyaneshore who also present at the press meet urged the State Government to initiate a thorough exercise of detecting illegal immigrants/migrants in the State at the earliest.
He also criticized the State Government's act of linking Manipur People Bill and CAB 2016 while observing that the two Bills do not have any connection at any point.
Gyaneshore then expressed gratitude to the people of the State saying that BJP could not table the CAB 2016 during the interim Budget session of the Rajya Sabha because of the strong protest against the Bill in the State and the North East.
Meanwhile, CPI (M) secretary Ksh Shanta alleged that BJP leaders and Cabinet Ministers in the State did not play any role in the withdrawal of CAB 2016.He further alleged that the BJP leaders and Cabinet Ministers went to Delhi in search of a safe place as they feared public wrath.
Many other leaders of the nine political parties were also present at the press meet.
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