IT News
Imphal, Aug 10:
The Congress party staged a dramatic walkout from the Manipur Legislative Assembly on Friday and announced its decision to boycott the remaining sessions of the ongoing Assembly session. In response, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has criticized the Congress party’s walkout from the Manipur Legislative Assembly, emphasizing the need for resolving issues through constructive debate within the Assembly rather than resorting to public demonstrations.
The protest move was led by senior Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh, who stated that all five Congress MLAs exited the Assembly in response to the rejection of a private members’ resolution by the Speaker.
The resolution, introduced by the Congress, sought a thorough discussion on the ongoing crisis in Manipur, which has gripped the state for nearly 15 months. The rejection of this resolution by the Speaker ignited the walkout, with Congress members expressing deep frustration over the Assembly’s handling of the issue.
Speaking to the media after the walkout, Okram Ibobi Singh emphasized the urgency of addressing the ongoing crisis through proper debate and concrete actions. “Our private member resolutions moved to discuss the present crisis were rejected by the Speaker. Since the beginning of the Assembly, we have been urging for a thorough conversation on the Manipur crisis. Yet the Speaker continues to reject these resolutions. There is no point in attending the House under such circumstances, and we have decided to boycott the session,” said Ibobi Singh.
The other Congress MLAs who participated in the walkout include Keisham Meghachandra, Okram Surjakumar, K Ranjit Singh, and Thokchom Lokeshwar Singh. The Congress party, which holds five seats in the 60-member Manipur Legislative Assembly, is the sole opposition party in the state. Their decision to boycott the remaining sessions has further escalated the political tensions in the Assembly, particularly in light of the unresolved issues that continue to affect Manipur.
Responding to the Congress’ decision to walk out, CM N. Biren Singh has stressed that democracy relies on the Assembly as a platform for dialogue and discussion, urging elected representatives to use this forum effectively to address their concerns.
The walkout, which took place on Friday, August 9, was in response to a ruling by the Speaker that rejected the opposition’s proposal to seek an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress, which holds five seats in the 60-member house and serves as the sole opposition party, had moved a private members’ resolution. This resolution called for a unanimous decision by the Assembly to request a direct discussion with the Prime Minister regarding the ongoing crisis in Manipur, which has persisted for over 14 months.
In their resolution, the Congress stated, “Recognizing the urgent and critical need, this House unanimously resolves that the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India should engage in a comprehensive discussion with Members of the Manipur Legislative Assembly to address the enduring crisis in the state, with the aim of restoring peace, normalcy, harmony, and safety for the citizens of Manipur.” However, the Speaker’s decision to reject the proposal led to frustration among the Congress members, who chose to walk out of the session in protest, further highlighting the deepening political tensions amid the state’s prolonged crisis.