Manipur Assembly's First Session Amid Unrest Ends In Chaos: 10 Points

Manipur Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh adjourned the session as a war of words erupted between the Opposition and Treasury benches. The Opposition members also shouted "Save Democracy" slogans in the assembly.

The Congress objected to the two-minute silence being observed for those killed in the violence and wanted the single-day session to be extended for five days. There was no question hour or private member motion.

Three resolutions were passed in the House amid all the chaos, according to the Governor's office, including one for maintaining harmony without any discrimination. The House also resolved to strive for peace through talks and to make an appeal to shun violence.

The Manipur assembly had last convened for the budget session during February-March and the clashes that erupted on May 3 had pushed back the monsoon session.

The Kuki-Zomi tribal bodies had rejected the one-day session and 10 MLAs from the community will skip the session. They said it would be unsafe for the legislators to travel to the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley where the assembly is located. Naga MLAs are likely to attend the session.

The Kuki-Zomi society had requested the Governor to defer the assembly session, but the government denied any special favour. Manipur minister Sapam Ranjan Singh said, "There cannot be any separate administration and the government is clear on this stand."

State BJP sources had indicated that a few resolutions on the ongoing ethnic crisis were likely to be adopted in the session. But the tribal bodies had resolved that no resolution adopted by the assembly will be binding in Kuki areas. Congress too said this one-day session was not in public interest.

Reconvening the assembly had been a major demand from Meitei civil society groups and Opposition parties. An assembly session must be convened within six months from its last sitting, according to Article 174 of the Constitution.

The government had last month recommended a session by August 21, but later revised it to August 28 on not getting a green signal from the Raj Bhavan. Last week, the Chief Minister's Office announced the assembly will reconvene from August 29.

The violence broke out in Manipur between the Kuki tribe and the Meiteis over the Meiteis' demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status. At least 170 people have been killed and thousands internally displaced since then.