ga pact contents

By passing a resolution demanding disclosure of the contents of ga framework agreement, the Manipur Assembly has sent a strong message to the Centre. The ruling BJP and opposition Congress, putting aside the bitterness over government formation in March this year, have closed ranks over an issue which both fear can affect Manipur’s territorial integrity. A 4-member committee will follow up by preparing a memorandum to be submitted to Prime Minister rendra Modi. Manipur lawmakers have thus stood together to clearly convey to New Delhi that as a stakeholder, their State must not suffer from a hush-hush pact about which Central leaders simply refuse to be forthcoming. After former CM and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh told the House how he was kept out of the loop about the Centre-NSCN(IM) pact signed in 2015, his counterpart Chief Minister N. Biren Singh pointed out that ever since his government took charge, there have been 7 assembly sessions in which discussions were held and resolutions taken on the issue. This time around, a clause should be added demanding disclosure of ga pact contents, Biren Singh insisted. Sadly, a similar bold and united stand on Assam’s territorial integrity is yet to be shown by its lawmakers. The perception refuses to go away that Assam’s BJP government is being diffident about the issue, and is all too happy to come away with New Delhi’s assurances that “not an inch” of the State’s land will be given over to galim. Surely, this is too serious an issue to be timorous about, and neither should party affiliations matter.