Demands complete withdrawal of order
Imphal, September 5 (MExN): The Zeliangrong Civil Organisations (ZCOs) comprising of Zeliangrong Baudi, Zeliangrong Youth Front and Zeliangrong Students Union denounced the order of the Speaker, Manipur Legislative Assembly issued on September 1 inducting 8 MLAs of Manipur valley areas who are elected and representing different unreserved Assembly Constituencies into the Hills Areas Committee (HAC).
Lourembam Rameshwar Meetei (MLA, 6-Keirao A/C), Khumukcham Joykisan Singh (MLA, 9-Thangmeiban A/C), Karam Shyam (MLA, 20-Langthabal A/C), Nameirakpam Loken Singh (MLA, 24-Nambol A/C), Laishram Radhakishor Singh (MLA, 25-Oinam A/C), Y Anas Khan (MLA, 30-Lilong A/C), Keisham Meghachandra Singh (MLA, 32-Wangkhem A/C) and Thokchom Radheshyam Singh (MLA, 33-Heirok A/C) were the MLAs named in the order.
The Speaker’s orders further mentioned that MLA, 8-Lamlai A/C will also be member of the HAC as and when election is held and vacant seat is filled up so that the total memberships of the Hills Areas Committee (HAC) shall be 29 (twenty nine) members with addition of 9 (nine) members.
Terming the Speaker’s order as “bereft of legal justification” simultaneously superseding the President’s Order, 1972, the ZCOs also said that it clearly reflects the “ill motive” of the Manipur government and its attempt to infringe upon the constitutional safeguard and protection enshrined in the Constitution of India for the hills people.
They noted that the former President of India V V Giri’s order issued in 1972 clearly mentioned that the Chief Minister and Speaker shall not be members of the Hills Areas Committee (HAC). “The Constitution of Hills Areas Committee under the Article 371C was enacted by an act of Parliament and the same was issued under the executive order of the President of India, V V Giri in 1972 which is a statutory body under the Constitution of India. So far, neither the Parliament has amended the Article 371C nor the President of India has issued any executive order replacing the said act,” the ZCOs maintained.
In this regard, they asserted that the Speaker who is not a member of the Committee but issuing orders inducting eight MLAs at will into the Hills Areas Committee is a clear case of “undue interference, arbitrary, infringement and an act of dictatorship which deserves serious penalty.”
The Zeliangrong Civil Organizations hailed the move of the MLAs who have withdrawn their membership from the Hills Areas Committee fully knowing of the legal invalidity. “The withdrawal of the 8 (eight) MLAs, who were illegally inducted as the Members into the Hills Areas Committee (HAC) on the next day of the Speaker’s Orders shows the Speaker’s Orders is neither acceptable nor legally tenable,” they observed.
While the Secretary, Manipur Legislative Assembly issued an order on September 4 which has only “kept in abeyance” the September 1 order, the ZCOs termed it a ‘time buying tactic’ which is not acceptable to the hills people of Manipur.
“The demand of the hills people is for complete withdrawal of that impugned order,” they asserted.
The ZCOs said that the people of the entire state were hopeful that the new BJP-led government would usher peace and harmony in the state. “But without completion of even one full term the BJP led government under the leadership of Mr. N. Biren Singh as the Chief Minister of Manipur have resorted to policies which have hurt the sentiment and interest of the people particularly the Hills people,” they lamented.
They cautioned that any political party or political leaders trying to stir up the sentiment and attempting to consolidate the interest of a single community in order to overshadow the interest and ignore the sentiment of other communities will be a disastrous and futile exercise which would be detrimental to peaceful co-existence.
In this regard, the ZCOs urged the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly to strictly adhere to the rule of law. It also urged the government of Manipur to realize that the priority of the government is to bring development and progress with trust and confidence among the citizens.
They appealed for the Governor’s intervention into the matter and to ensure that such ‘unacceptable and legally untenable’ orders are not issued in the future.
