In recent times, short sessions of the assembly have somehow become a norm than an exception. Despite protests from the opposition, the proposal put forth by the state government in the Business Advisory Committee meeting always gets its way. Be it political compulsion or fear of being grilled by the opposition, nowadays the government always proposes short sessions.
Even the all important Budget sessions have been reduced to only a few days, thereby prohibiting detail discussions on the demand of different departments as many demands whether allied or not are clubbed together to get them passed. For the opposition, assembly sessions are prime time in which they get the opportunity to raise questions and issues either related to their own constituencies or the state as a whole. It was also a time for show-casing their commitment to the constituents and of their oratory and debating skills.
Impressing their constituents is most important for the legislators as it always comes into the picture during elections. Not only the opposition MLAs, but the MLAs sitting on the ruling or treasury bench also gets the opportunity to highlight the issues of their constituencies. Sadly, most of the ruling MLAs nowadays sits silently in the assembly hall without even asking or raising a question as if the Chief Minister and the ministers would take unkindly to such questioning.
There was a time when the scenario was quite different. Example may be made of the late O Tomba of Thongju constituency who was an Independent. He sits in the ruling bench, but whenever he gets the opportunity he raises questions left and right and always participates in every budget discussion. It was also a time when the opposition bench was populated by leaders full of fire and brimstone.
Their debating skills were legendary and they routinely throw the rule book to the ruling bench, most of the time getting the final word from Speakers who were also giants.
Wording a question is also very important. Of course, there is always a chance for raising supplementary questions but it always gives a chance to the minister to delay the answer to a future date or a private audience in the Speaker’s chamber. So, the initial set of questions is very important as it would lead to the real answers they are seeking.
Coming back to the point, the recent decision to hold a one-day session for the fourth session of the twelfth Manipur Legislative assembly is not only disappointing but an insult to the general population of the state. It is not a normal session as such. Manipur has been burning for more than 118 days due to the present ethnic strife between the Kukis and Meiteis without a solution in sight.
The general public had been demanding a special session of the assembly to discuss the issues involved in the strife and try working out solutions. Earlier, the State Cabinet had, on August 4, recommended to the Governor of Manipur for summoning the 4th session of 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly on August 21.
However, it could not materialise as both Kuki and Naga MLAs had declared their intent to boycott the session while the opposition is preparing to tear apart the government on inaction, policy paralysis and the twilight zone created by ‘Article 355’ from which the government is functioning.
At last, the state Cabinet took a decision to convene the much awaited Manipur Legislative Assembly monsoon session on August 29, to avoid a constitutional crisis. And the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) decided on a single day session, albeit with a dissenting note from the opposition leader O Ibobi of Congress.
Needlessly to say, the fad of short sessions was started during O Ibobi’s time. But, considering the present situation at least a minimum of a week’s time is needed to discuss it.
