Manipur congress expresses dismay over delayed assembly session

The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has voiced its discontent over the delay in summoning the Manipur Legislative Assembly session, despite repeated appeals for an emergency session. Okram Ibobi Singh, leader of the Congress Legislature Party, expressed his concern about the lack of action in convening the assembly session, emphasizing that the government alone knows the reason for the delay. Singh highlighted that it is constitutionally mandatory to hold the assembly session promptly.

Singh conveyed his thoughts during the commemoration of Sadbhavana Diwas, held on August 20 at Congress Bhawan to mark the 79th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

He stated that convening a special session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly to address the ongoing state unrest has been a longstanding demand of the Congress Party. Despite numerous appeals and meetings with Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey, urging the session's summoning, the state government's inability to do so is unfortunate.

Singh remarked, "The state government's failure to convene the session, even after the cabinet decided to do so on August 21, is unprecedented. The government alone knows the reason for their inability. Nonetheless, it is constitutionally imperative to hold the session without fail. We will wait and see what measures the government takes."

Reflecting on former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's contribution to India's progress, Singh expressed his admiration. "The posthumous conferring of the Bharat Ratna on Rajiv Gandhi and the observance of Sadbhavana Diwas on his birth anniversary, both by the Government of India and the state government, acknowledge his significant societal contributions."

Singh lamented that the untimely demise of Rajiv Gandhi was a loss not only for India but for the world. He believed that had Rajiv Gandhi been alive, further strides would have been made in the fields of science and technology in India.

Keisham Meghachandra Singh, President of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, highlighted the primary objective of observing Sadbhavana Diwas: promoting communal harmony, national integrity, and peace.
Congress MLAs, ex-MLAs, and ministers paid their respects by offering floral tributes to the late PM Rajiv Gandhi's portrait and took a pledge during the ceremony.