The state Cabinet on Friday recommended that Governor Anusuiya Uikey call a session of the Assembly on August 21 in response to the Opposition’s demand for President’s Rule in light of ethnic turmoil and violence that has torn Manipur apart for the greater part of three months.
The Northeast state has been wracked by violence, which has claimed over 100 lives and displaced thousands of people.
On May 3, clashes erupted between the Metei and Kuki groups, only days after the Manipur High Court instructed the state administration to consider adding the former, the state’s largest population, to the list of Scheduled Tribes.
“The state cabinet has recommended to the Governor that the 4th session of the 12th Manipur legislative assembly be convened on August 21, 2023,” according to a notice published on Friday.
The current situation in Manipur has caused a stalemate in both Houses of Parliament during the ongoing Monsoon Session, with Opposition members stalling proceedings in demand of a discussion and a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding a viral video purportedly showing two women in the Northeast being stripped and paraded in their underwear.
Opposition members shouted chants and interrupted proceedings, leading in multiple adjournments, in response to their demand that all listed firms in both Houses be halted for a debate on the Manipur issue.
A team from the opposition coalition — I.N.D.I.A. — recently visited Manipur for two days, meeting with displaced residents in relief camps and meeting with Governor Uikey.
The group informed the Governor on their two-day visit and handed him a memorandum on Manipur.
Later, an Opposition delegation headed by Congress national president and Rajya Sabha Leader Mallikarjun Kharge visited President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The delegates encouraged President Murmu to step in to help restore peace in Manipur.
Earlier, Manipur Police stated on Thursday that the situation in the Northeast state has remained tight for the last 24 hours.
According to a news release issued on August 3, there were occasional occurrences of shooting and crowd gathering.