Manipur veteran politician Okram Joy on Thursday lambasted both the state and central BJP ruling government for failing to properly assess and take control of the whole tense situation in Manipur.
“The double-engine BJP government has failed to initiate double-powered politics and instead chosen to stay as mute spectators while the state crashed and burned,” he said.
Speaking to the media at the Manipur Press Club, Imphal, O Joy stated that the present situation is a blatant case of political instability and failure of constitutional machinery.
“We have a BJP-led Centre; in Manipur out of the 60, as many as 55 MLAs are in line with the BJP, on top of that we have four MPs and a UMoS all affiliated with the BJP; they have squandered all the political power and this conflict is the materialisation of their incompetence,” he said.
He questioned where all the national leaders and state BJP leaders had gone in this crucial political juncture. They were all beating their chests and frequently paraded Manipur during election campaigns, where is that same energy when needed at a sensitive moment, he questioned.
As such, he reiterated that the whole situation could be brought under control only when the government took control of the political system.
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Meanwhile, he further sought the speaker’s attention and demanded action against the 10 state MLAs, who demanded a separate administration, terming it "unethical conduct".
It may be mentioned that the politician lodged a written complaint to speaker Th Satyabrata under Rule 300 of the Rules and Procedures and Conduct of Business in the Manipur Legislative Assembly.
He had also forwarded the same to the prime minister, Lok Sabha speaker, governor and other key leaders of the country and the state.
Joy said it is unfortunate that those leaders who have been elected by the people to safeguard the integrity of the state have taken a stand to disintegrate the integrity of Manipur.
He informed that their demand is completely contrary to the usage or derogatory to the dignity of the House and inconsistent with the standards which the House of Manipur Legislative Assembly is entitled to expect of its members.
It is a well-established parliamentary practice in the country and as also in all Commonwealth Parliamentary Countries in the world that the MPs and state legislatures shall maintain a standard conduct inside the House and outside it, and their behaviour should be such as to enhance the dignity of the House and its members in general, he added.
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He stated that the House of the legislature of a state has the power and authority to punish its own members for the unethical conduct, misbehaviour and misconduct of members of the House. He further appealed to the Speaker for taking appropriate action against the 10 MLAs at the earliest.
As such he demanded authorities to take quick action against the 10 defector MLAs and immediately abrogate the SoO with the Kuki militants. He also urged all sections of people in Manipur to collectively strive in preserving the unity and integrity of Manipur.
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