GUWAHATI
Two tribal organisations in the ethnic conflict-hit Manipur have slammed the convening of the fourth Assembly session on August 29, stating that the prevailing situation was not conducive for the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs to attend.
The 10 MLAs, seven of whom are from the BJP, had earlier said it would not be safe for them to attend the special session in Imphal Valley, the Meitei-dominated seat of power in Manipur.
“If the government decides to go ahead with the session without considering the sentiment of the minority tribal people, any untoward incident arising out of it shall be the sole responsibility of the State government,” the Committee on Tribal Unity and the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum said in a joint statement, calling for the postponement of the session.
The two organisations primarily represent the Kuki-Zo communities.
They said that in view of the “complete breakdown of law and order and the failure of the State” in protecting the lives of the common people and top officials alike, convening the Assembly session was devoid of logic and rationality.
“Since the outbreak of the current ethnic violence on May 3, Imphal Valley has witnessed the lynching of more than a hundred innocent Kuki-Zo people, and the destruction of thousands of houses, including hundreds of churches and quarters. Even the lives and properties of Ministers and MLAs were not spared,” the two organisations said.
“Women were stripped, paraded naked, raped, and murdered. Thousands of sophisticated weapons and lakhs of ammunition have been looted, and still remain missing. Yet the present dispensation allows the culprits to roam scot-free. All these instances turn the State into a complete war-like zone,” they further said.
The organisations said the move to convene the Assembly session amid “absolute anarchy” in the State instead of controlling the continued violence “perpetrated by radicalised Meitei outfits” first was absolutely unacceptable.
“If the State government is really concerned about bringing back normalcy, it should own moral responsibility and resign for good. Forcing the Assembly session in spite of knowing well that the representatives of a sizeable population of the State will not be able to attend is not only immoral but also exposes the ulterior motive of the dominant community,” they said.
One-day too short: Ibobi
Congress Legislature Party leader and three-time Chief Minister Okram Ibobi said a one-day session would not be able to address the burning issues that the State is facing. “I had suggested in the business advisory committee meeting that the session should be for at least five days so that there can be a threadbare discussion of the burning issues. However, my suggestion was turned down.”
He further said: “ This is not a special session. If it is a normal session, a 15-day notice should have been given. The session is a move by the BJP-led coalition government to avoid a constitutional crisis, since there has to be at least one session in six months.”
(With inputs from Imphal)
