Cong team to leave for Delhi today
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 29 2019:
A team of Congress party led by ex-Chief Minister and CLP leader Okram Ibobi will leave Imphal tomorrow to campaign against CAB 2016 at the National capital.
Speaking to media persons at Congress Bhavan here this afternoon, O Ibobi said that the Congress party's position on CAB 2016 would have been known to all the people as the party has been raising strong objections since the day the Bill was drafted.
Considering the disastrous impacts the Bill will bring about in the entire North East region once it becomes an Act, Congress party adopted a non-negotiable position that the Bill must not be passed under any circumstances, Ibobi stated.
After the Bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha for the first time, it was referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).
At that time, Congress party submitted memoranda to the Union Home Minister, the JPC Chairman and other leaders concerned categorically stating that Bill is unacceptable under any circumstances.
Despite the vehement opposition, BJP and their allies passed the Bill in the Lok Sabha taking advantage of the majority they enjoy in the Lower House, he said.
There is no option left now to check the Bill except blocking it at the Rajya Sabha which begins its session from January 31."We have been telling the Congress high command and like-minded political parties not to support CAB 2016 and pointed out that the Rajya Sabha is the only platform left where the Bill can be defeated", said the CLP leader.
The all political parties meeting held yesterday was a futile exercise.
If a clause should be inserted which would keep Manipur out of the Bill's ambit that has been already passed in the Lok Sabha, it must be withdrawn first as stated by the nine political parties which attended the meeting but stayed aloof from taking a common resolution, Ibobi pointed out.
As the last option, a CLP team would leave for Delhi tomorrow and the team would hold meetings with the Congress high command, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Rajya Sabha leader Gulam Nabi Azad, ex-Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, leaders of like-minded parties such as Trinamool Congress, SP, BSP etc.
The team would urge them to defeat the CAB 2016 as and when it is tabled in the Rajya Sabha, Ibobi said.
On account of the CAB 2016, the entire North East region including Assam and other States like Mizoram and Meghalaya which enjoy Constitutional protection is burning.
Congress party walked out from the Lok Sabha in protest when the Bill was tabled.
The walk out did not mean Congress party approved the Bill.
The Bill was passed as they (BJP) enjoy majority in the Lok Sabha without giving any thought to the disastrous impacts the Bill will bring about in the North East region.
The Bill is found on and off in the business list of the Rajya Sabha session which commences from January 31.But the Bill can still be tabled in the Rajya Sabha by referring the matter to the Parliamentary Business Advisory Committee, Ibobi said.
That is why the CLP decided to launch a campaign against the Bill at the National capital from tomorrow itself without taking any further risk, added the ex-Chief Minister.