Resign : Ibohalbi to Ibobi
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 13 2012:
Taking strong exception to Chief Minister O Ibobi's assertion that Central Service Conduct Rules were 'normal rules' during discussion of the Manipur Appropriation (No 3) Bill 2012, Opposition Member Dr Ibohalbi has declared Ibobi unfit for the post of Chief Minister and demanded his resignation.
While discussing the Bill today which happened to be the last day of the ongoing Assembly session, Ibohalbi stated that DP should take necessary action against MPS officer P Dhiren for the departmental enquiry ordered against him has been completed and the report already submitted but DP was seeking comment of DGP Joykumar.
He went on to ask under which rules the DGP's comment was sought or the DGP was superior to the DP .
Chief Minister Ibobi explained that CO Dhiren was detailed for election duty in 2007 .
After the election was over, Dhiren came back with the ballot boxes one day ahead of the scheduled date without giving any prior information to the authority concerned and on the way they were ambushed and 16 of his men were killed.
On learning about the incident, Centre recommended the State Government to give CO Dhiren forced retirement.
But the State Government stopped short of taking up such an action, concerned about his future, Ibobi stated.
Maintaining that it was against rules for the DP to seek comments of the DGP, Dr Ibohalbi asked as to why the Government was violating rules.
Ibobi replied that the Government would not go with the advice of the DGP.
The DGP's comment was sought just because he was the head of a department.
Then Ibobi countered if there was any rule which prohibited seeking comment of the DGP.
At this, Ibohalbi produced a statute book which reportedly said that the DP could not ask for the DGP's comment and charged the Government of violating rules.
Leaving apart the rules, there was no such thing that prohibited the DP from asking the DGP's comment.
Ibobi maintained.
But it was when Ibobi stated that enquiry rules were normal rules, Ibohalbi called Ibobi unfit for the post of Chief Minister and demanded his resignation.
To this, Ibobi asserted that he has no envy for the post of Chief Minister and added that he would resign on his own if there was a reasonable ground.
PHE Minister I Hemochandra intervened in the form of a point of order saying that discussion of appropriation bill had nothing to do with service matters.
After this, when Dr Ibohalbi rose to speak, Speaker Th Lokeshore interrupted and gave him no time to speak any more.
At the end, the Manipur Appropriation (No 3) Bill 2012 was passed by the House unanimously.