Former Manipur Chief Minister and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh today criticised the upcoming assembly session on Tuesday (August 29), stating that it serves only as a superficial gesture and lacks public interest. Okram shared his concerns during a media interaction at the Congress Bhavan. He emphasised that the one-day session was called due to the constitutional requirement to hold a session before September 2. He revealed that the agenda for the session is only obituary references.
"I attended the meeting of the business advisory committee (BAC) today (Saturday) and learnt that the session will be just for a day. Since it is a constitutional obligation to hold a session before September 2, Tuesday’s session has been called. The agenda is going to be obituary references," Okram said, adding, "In my experience, on a day when obituary references are taken up, no other business is discussed," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Okram, a committee member, proposed extending the session for at least five days, emphasising the importance of discussing the state's unprecedented situation. Recognising the small number of opposition members, he clarified that their goal is to address issues of public concern rather than simply criticise the government.
"As a member of the committee, I proposed that the session last at least five days to discuss the state's unprecedented situation. The opposition is made up of only four or five people. We are not here to criticise the government; rather, we are here to discuss issues of public concern," Okram added.
"The one-day session by the government is to avoid a constitutional crisis," Okram explained, adding that "having a session for a day is not in the public interest."
Okram described the government's one-day session as an attempt to avert a constitutional crisis, but emphasised that due to its brevity, such a session fails to uphold the public interest.