13th session of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly saws healthy discussions on some of the developmental issues. But it is disheartening to learn that most of the hot issues like encroachers of Indian territorial boundary in Indo-Myanmar border at Chandel district of Manipur, the fifteen years long protest by Irom Chanu Sharmila, the failure of the state government in enforcing law of the land to hill districts of the particularly in National Highways and the traffic mismanagement were leaved aside during the session. Literally, budget session is normally held to discuss and passed the annual expenditure of the state. But this does not mean that other major issues associated with the interest of the state should be left aside. Any way this session saw some of the opposition acting tough. BJP MLAs Kh. Joykishan and Biswajit, NCP MLA L. Ibomcha, Trinamool Congress MLA Shyamkumar and Dr. Ibohalbi acting tough to the failure of the various government department. Misutilisations of fund and wrongfully awarding of work orders by violating the government rules and regulations were seriously argued by the opposition
MLAs. What is appreciating is that this 13 session of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly is perhaps the only session of this term to see the presence of opposition. It is worth noting that BJP MLAs Khumukcham Joykishan and Thongam Biswajit walk out of the house as the ruling party forcible passed some of the demands without giving proper clarification – ‘signed of healthy democracy’. But another unfortunate part of this session is the skipping of major issues concerning the people of the state. It is an open secret that the issues of NSCN-IM is a serious threat to the government of Manipur. Till now the so called framework agreement signed between the GoI and the outfit in August 3 last year has not been let known to the people. This is can be noted from the speech of Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi. The Congress leader had stated that even the Home Ministry officials and the IB were not let known on what the frame work is about. This showed that the Vice president is not informed about the agreement and it is logical that the Chief Minister of Manipur will certainly be blank on what is this framework agreement. On the other hand the issues about the lost of Manipur’s Boundary due to the ongoing border fencing work has never been discussed even as some of the civil society organization and villagers of the border town of India had pleaded the government time and again to discuss the issue. Reports appeared in various newspaper including the Imphal Times had alerted the government that the geographical boundary of the state will be reduced by 1000 sq. Km if proper demarcation has not been conducted. The most important sitting of the state is concluded but all is not well. People need to send more opposition members in the house so that the real democracy shows its true colour.
