Issues which need minute deliberations : Cong bang on target
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: July 26 2018 -

Framework Agreement. MU impasse. Boundary Pillar 81 near Kwatha Khunou.

Bill to protect the interests of the indigenous people of the land.

All these are important issues standing plum in front of Manipur and these are issues which rightfully deserve to be discussed minutely by the political leadership of the day.

And this is precisely the reason why the Congress has not kindly taken to the decision to hold the just concluded Monsoon session of the Assembly for only two days (one day in effect).

This is a point which should not blow over the head of the BJP led Government.

If at all the Congress has proven anything, then it is as a strong and effective Opposition, pointing out the loopholes in the Government and the readiness to discuss issues which are important to the people and the land.

In deciding to hold the session for just two days, the BJP led Government may just convey the message that it is over confident about dealing with the issues just mentioned.

Others too have not taken this point lightly, best exemplified by the attempts of Manipur University Students’ Union (MUSU) to disrupt the proceedings of the House on the last day of the Assembly session just a couple of days back.

The decision of MUSU was guided by the point that their agitation to demand the removal of VC AP Pandey would not be discussed thoroughly on the floor of the Assembly.

Whether the approach they adopted to give vent to their frustrations was desirable or not is a different matter, but these are issues indeed which should have been discussed more minutely and the Assembly session was the right opportunity to adopt a collective stand.

More than apparent that to the Congress the Framework Agreement or rather the political negotiations underway between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) is the most worrying aspect.

A good number of civil society organisations including AMUCO, UCM and CCSK too have aired a similar line of thoughts.

Territory may not be affected, as the Congress and the CSOs observed, but what if some sort of a special arrangement is made for the Naga inhabited areas in States neighbouring Nagaland, is the question that the Congress and the CSOs have raised.

Till date, the BJP led Government at Imphal has not given a detailed stand on this poser.

What if Article 371 (A), which is in force in Nagaland is extended to the Naga inhabited areas with some modification, is the question they have raised.

Significantly this question comes after Interlocutor to the peace talk RN Ravi recently disclosed to the Parliamentary Committee that such a model may be worked out.

The interesting question is, what would be the stand of the BJP led State Government if such a model is proposed to be worked out ?

Tough to say how things will unfold in the coming days, but this is an issue which ought to be discussed thoroughly by all the political leaders of the State, cutting across party lines.

This is what should be read into the observation of the State Congress.