Congress questions 'delay' in action against 12 Manipur BJP MLAs

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi, at a press conference, said the 12 MLAs were made parliamentary secretaries in Manipur but were later removed as they enjoyed the benefits of "office of profit".

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday accused the government of abdication of 'Raj dharma' in Manipur by not disqualifying 12 MLAs and alleged the BJP was "distorting" democracy by creating an artificial majority in the state and running an "unconstitutional" government.

It also questioned the 'delay' in taking action against the 12 BJP MLAs of Manipur for the 2018 'office of profit' case and the role of Governor Najma Heptulla.

While addressing a press conference, Congress senior spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "There is deliberate and unconstitutional delays, distortion of democracy by the creation of artificial majorities, abdication of raj dharma and the naked brandishing of inducements."

READ: Bihar Congress screening committee meeting held in New Delhi

The controversy erupted when Manipur Parliamentary Secretary (Appointment, Salary and Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2012 and Manipur Parliamentary (Appointment, Salary and Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Repealing Act, 2018 were declared unconstitutional by Manipur High Court on September 17, 2020.

After this, Congress approached the Manipur Governor seeking disqualification of these MLAs who were appointed as Parliamentary Secretaries. While in October, Manipur Governor sought EC's views on this matter.

READ: Congress screening committee meets for J'khand polls

"This is nothing but a deliberate, unconstitutional, artificial delay to allow benefits to be reaped by a particular party of a particular colour. As it has been said- indecision and delays are the parents of failure and it is evidence of the fact that a declining of the institution is shaking the survival of the most unfit," Singhvi alleged.

Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi also tweeted over the matter demanding disqualification of 12 BJP MLAs while alleging that the Manipur Governor had failed to take requisite action.

Rahul Gandhi tweets

"Twelve BJP Manipur MLAs should have been disqualified in 2018 in the office of profit case. Now, ECI says that Manipur Governor has already been instructed about the same but no action has been taken yet. Entirely unconstitutional of the governor to protect the BJP," he said in a tweet.

READ: Congress forms screening committee for West Bengal polls

PTI INPUTS