IMPHAL, Feb 13: The much awaited meeting of the Privilege and Ethics Committee of Manipur legislative assembly to discuss on the petitions filed against 10 Kuki MLAs was convened at the committee room of Manipur Legislative on Tuesday, sources said.
The meeting convened by committee chairman and MLA Sapam Nishikanta was attended by its members, MLA Ashab Uddin, MLA Okram Surjakumar and MLA RK Imo.
One of the petitioners of the complaints against the 10 Kuki MLAs who raised the demand for separate administration, Okram Joy, a former minister also attended the meeting that commenced from 11 am, the sources added.
The meeting was convened to discuss the matter related to the allegations of violating the ethics of the Manipur legislative assembly by the 10 sitting MLAs hailing from the Kuki-Zo community who raised the demand for ‘separate administration’.
What had transpired in the meeting could not be ascertained.
However, petitioner Joy said that the committee meeting was convened to discuss the complaint he had filed to the committee for initiating befitting action against the 10 sitting MLAs.
Talking to the reporters after the meeting, Joy observed that the state assembly owes to take legal action against the 10 sitting members of the house of the state assembly
He demanded that the Privilege and Ethics Committee should investigate the conduct of the 10 MLAs and submit the findings to the Speaker of the state assembly so that the house can discuss what action could be initiated against them.
He alleged that the act of the 10 Kuki MLAs including two ministers, is one of the biggest crimes committed against the state of Manipur and they must be punished by the state assembly while asserting that the MLAs are to protect the integrity of the state as elected representatives of the people.
He said that the demand raised by the 10 MLAs is against the Privilege and Ethics of the Manipur legislative assembly and punishable under the rule 92 of the conduct of business of the house of the Assembly.
The Privilege and Ethics Committee of the state Assembly must investigate into the acts of the MLAs thoroughly and punish them as per the findings of the investigation, he insisted.
The committee should submit the report to the state Assembly that will decide the course of action to be initiated against the MLAs, he added.
Based on the complaints, the Privilege and Ethics Committee of the Manipur assembly has served show cause notices to the 10 Kuki-Zomi MLAs who had demanded a separate administration for a group of ethnic communities after violence erupted in the state on May 3 last year.
The violence has so far claimed lives of more than 200 people besides rendering and displacing thousands of people of both the communities in conflict after their houses were torched.
In the show cause notices, the committee had asked for an explanation from the MLAs as to why they made the demand and had set June 16 last year as the deadline for them to respond.
However, no positive response was received by the committee till date.
The meeting of the committee was convened amidst strong pressures from civil society organisations, particularly Imagi Meira, a women-based pressure group that has been campaigning for convening the meeting of the committee and decide the actions to be initiated against the 10 Kuki MLAs.
The MLAs who raised the demand are Haokholet Kipgen (Independent MLA, Saitu ), Kimneo Haokip Hangshing (KPA MLA, Saikul ), L M Khaute (BJP MLA, Churachandpur), Chinlungthang (KPA MLA, Singngat), Nemcha Kipgen (BJP MLA, Kangpokpi), Ngursanglur Sanate (BJP MLA, Tipaimukh), Letpao Haokip (BJP MLA, Tengnoupal), Letzamang Haokip (BJP MLA, Henglep), Paolienlal Haokip (BJP MLA, Saikot) and Vungjagin Valte (BJP MLA, Thanlon).
Among them, Nemcha Haokip and Letpao Haokip are ministers in the N Biren Singh led BJP government in the state. (NNN)
