Manipur Tribal Affairs and Hills Minister Letpao Haokip has claimed that he was appointed to a newly formed committee investigating illegal immigration and the abnormal growth of new villages in Manipur without his knowledge or consent. This assertion came to light on August 9, as reported by India Today.
The Manipur Assembly decided to constitute a 12-member House Committee on August 6 to identify and deport illegal immigrants. The committee is headed by Manipur Water Resource Minister Awangbow Newmai and includes Kuki MLA Haokip, who is among the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs advocating for a “separate administration” within Manipur.
The committee’s formation was sanctioned under Rule 305A (1) of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business. Haokip, however, expressed his surprise over the appointment. He stated, “I had no prior knowledge of this appointment and did not provide my consent,” referring to the official bulletin issued by the Manipur Assembly that listed him as a committee member.
Haokip emphasized that neither he nor the other nine Kuki-Zo MLAs have been attending the current Manipur Assembly session, rendering his supposed participation in the committee implausible.
Authorities report that since March, 10,590 illegal immigrants have been identified in the state, and 115 Myanmarese nationals, including women and children, were deported to Myanmar between March and June. It is noteworthy that before the violent outbreaks in Manipur, Haokip had led a Cabinet sub-committee tasked with identifying illegal immigrants in 2023.
Haokip’s disclosure raises questions regarding internal communications and consent protocols within the Manipur Assembly, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing efforts to manage immigration and ethnic tensions in the state.
Original Story https://www.indiatodayne.in/manipur/story/manipur-minister-alleges-appointment-to-committee-without-his-consent-1068444-2024-08-10?utm_source=rssfeed
Category :
Tags:
