Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 28:
Strongly coming out against the conduct of Congress MLA Z Mangaibou, MPP president and MLA O Joy today said that it is unbecoming of a legislator to whip out his gun and threaten senior engineers of PWD inside the office of Works Minister Th Debendra.
Speaking to newsmen today, the MPP MLA said that the conduct of Mangaibou is against all norms of Parliamentary democracy and added that his act has demeaned the State Assembly.
Without pulling any punches, Joy said that the very act of the MLA in pulling out his licensed gun and threatening senior officers in the room of a senior Cabinet Minister is nothing short of insulting the Congress led SPF Government and the senior Cabinet Minister himself.
For good effect Joy also reminded all that Mangaibou is an MLA from the Treasury bench.
The case of fertilisers smuggling, the pressure exerted on officers by MLAs to write cheques and threatening officers with a gun during the tenure of the SPF Government has cast a slur on the conduct of all MLAs generally, observed Joy.
The powers, privileges and immunity granted to MLAs and MPs under Article 105 and 194 of the Indian Constitution is to enable them to discharge their Parliamentary duties effectively and not to throw their weights around, Joy said adding that the conduct of Mangaibou cannot be condoned under any circumstances.
On one hand, MLAs and Judges can pull up anyone on grounds of breach of privileges but when MLAs start to act against the accepted behaviour then who will judge such recalcitrant MLAs, countered Joy.
The allegations against Mangaibou should be probed thoroughly, said Joy and added that since the very act of the MLA is against the law he should be tried according to the law of the land.
Secondly, the Assembly too should study what action can be initiated against Mangaibou for violating the conduct of the House, added Joy.
Thirdly, since the issue also involves discipline the party to which Mangaibou belongs to should study what action should be taken up by the disciplinary committee, noted the MPP MLA.
Fourthly, since the issue is one of criminalisation of politics, the attention of the Election Commission of India ought to be drawn to the matter, advocated Joy.




