Manipur team to visit Delhi, seek exemption

IMPHAL: During the all-party meeting convened by the Manipur government on Monday to discuss the the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, it was decided that an all-party delegation will be sent to New Delhi to urge the Centre to exclude Manipur from the ambit of the proposed legislation.
However, the meeting failed to come to an unanimous decision on the demands raised by the opposition parties. These demands were that the bill should be withdrawn and a special state assembly session be convened to discuss the proposed legislation. Three opposition parties — Congress, JD (U) and the regional Manipur People’s Party (MPP) — did not attend the meeting.

CPI state secretary L Sotinkumar confirmed that the meeting failed to arrive at a decision on the demand raised by many parties to withdraw the bill and convene a special assembly session. “Most of the parties strongly demanded for passing a resolution to urge the Centre to withdraw the bill and also to convene a special assembly session. But the ruling party expressed its unwillingness on the matter,” Sotinkumar said.

The chief minister, at an official function held in Imphal after the meeting, hinted at his government’s unwillingness to hold a special assembly session to discuss the bill. None of the northeastern states are convening such an assembly session, Biren said, adding that a conspiracy might be afoot to destabilize the government.