IMPHAL, June 8: Chairs from the lobby room of old Manipur Legislative Assembly building which had played an important role in the state for more than five decades, are today being removed and distributed as if Ministerial portfolios are being handed over, alleged ex MLA, Okram Joy Singh.
The advisor of the Manipur Peoples’ Party while addressing media persons at the party’s office today said, the Old Building of the Manipur Legislative Assembly need to be preserved as a “political Museum”.
He said, he has submitted a memorandum in this regard to the state Governor, Gurbachan Jagat today.
Copies of the memorandum were also submitted to the state Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, Speaker Thokchom Lokeshwar Singh and Minister law and Legislative Affairs Th Debendra Singh, he said.
He lamented that the government is considering the use of the old Assembly building to house some department and a cabinet decision in this regard was taken recently which is not only objectionable but also unfortunate as the building symbolises the democratic institution of the state since July 1, 1963.
“Parliamentary debates and discussion have been held and passed in the interest of the state and the country, in this very building while constitutional, political and administrative functions of the state have been executed in the building”, he reminisced.
He further said the Manipur Legislative Assembly had passed four resolutions on September 14, 1989; September 28, 1986; June 24, 2005 and April 4, 2008 for the establishment of Manipur Legislative Council as established in other states under the provision of Indian Constitution and it’s still awaited.
The building may be used as the Manipur Legislative Council when the matter is settled in due course, he stated.
Being the monument of the highest democratic tradition of the state, preservation of the old building of the Manipur Legislative Assembly as a “Political Museum” is a must, he said.
He concluded by saying that the old building need to be preserved as an “old monument” as it has a history of more than 50 years of the political history of the state.