Shruti Suman
The Manipur assembly encountered disorderly scenes and the chanting of slogans as it convened for the first time in almost four months, following ethnic violence that had erupted in the northeastern state. Here are the top 10 highlights of this significant event:
- Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh of Manipur adjourned the session for thirty minutes due to the uproar of “Save Democracy” slogans by Opposition members within the assembly. Question time and private member motions were suspended.
2. The Congress party protested against the two-minute silence observed in the assembly and advocated for extending the single-day session to five days. A verbal clash took place between Chief Minister N Biren Singh and his predecessor from the Congress, Okrom Ibobi Singh.
3. The Manipur assembly had last convened during the budget session in February-March, and the clashes that erupted on May 3 had postponed the monsoon session.
4. The Kuki-Zomi tribal groups declined to participate in the one-day session, and 10 legislators from this community abstained. They expressed concerns about the safety of lawmakers traveling to the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley where the assembly is located. Naga legislators are expected to attend.
5. The Kuki-Zomi society had appealed to the Governor to postpone the assembly session, but the government rejected any special treatment. Manipur minister Sapam Ranjan Singh stated, “There cannot be a separate administration, and the government is firm on this stance.”
6. State BJP sources hinted at the possibility of adopting a few resolutions related to the ongoing ethnic crisis during the session. Conversely, tribal groups resolved that any resolution passed by the assembly would not be binding in Kuki areas. The Congress also argued that this one-day session does not serve the public’s interest.
7. Reassembling the assembly had been a major demand from Meitei civil society groups and Opposition parties. According to Article 174 of the Constitution, an assembly session must be convened within six months of its last sitting.
8. The government had initially proposed a session by August 21, but later revised it to August 28 after not receiving approval from the Raj Bhavan. The Chief Minister’s Office announced last week that the assembly would reconvene on August 29.
9. A case of arson was reported in the state capital Imphal two days prior, where a mob set fire to three abandoned houses. In the early hours of Sunday morning, unidentified individuals had seized weapons from security personnel in Imphal West district.
10. The violence in Manipur emerged from a conflict between the Kuki tribe and the Meiteis over the Meiteis’ demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status. Since then, at least 170 people have lost their lives, and thousands have been internally displaced.
