IT News
Imphal, Mar 5:
Imagi Meira, a civil society organization, has fervently urged the Privilege Ethics Committee to promptly present its report for discussion on the ongoing Assembly floor regarding the necessary actions to be taken against 10 Kuki Zo MLAs who are allegedly involved in attempts to destabilize Manipur. With the current session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly coming to a close today, Imagi Meira has been steadfastly staging a sit-in protest at Khoyathong for the past five days, advocating for decisive measures to address the situation.
In an interview with Imphal Times, Thokchom Sujata, the Convenor of Imagi Meira, stressed the importance of thorough deliberation on the committee’s report by lawmakers. Sujata emphasized that even if the report is yet to be finalized, it is crucial for legislators to engage in discussion during the ongoing session. She further underscored the seriousness of the issue, cautioning that if lawmakers neglect to address the committee’s findings and if, tragically, Kuki militants launch further attacks resulting in the loss of civilian lives in Manipur, they should be held accountable for their inaction.
“The absence of the 10 Kuki lawmakers from the current session, coupled with Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s assertion that foreign Kuki militants are responsible for the attacks on civilians, raises questions,” she pointed out, highlighting the confusion among the public. “If indeed foreign militants are behind the violence, then why are these 10 Kuki MLAs advocating for a separate administration?”
Sujata stressed the importance of dialogue, suggesting that the 10 Kuki MLAs should engage with the majority of the lawmakers in the Manipur Legislative Assembly, which comprises 50 seats out of 60.
“Recently, the Kuki MLAs held discussions with Naga MLAs in Guwahati just before the state assembly session. If such dialogue is possible, then surely the 10 Kuki MLAs can engage virtually with their colleagues to address the current crisis,” she proposed. “It’s worth noting that when the 50 lawmakers passed a resolution on the abrogation of the Suspension of Operation, the 10 Kuki MLAs protested against the decision the very next day.”
When asked about their trust in the lawmakers, Sujata responded with a sense of skepticism. “The lawmakers didn’t genuinely want to convene this session. The people of Manipur have been clamoring for a session to be held for many months, yet their demands went unanswered. The current session is only being convened because it’s the budget session and the start of the financial year. We don’t have faith in the 50 MLAs. It seems they’re merely interested in passing the session in these five days without addressing the real concerns of the people.”
