New Delhi, Mar 24 (PTI)
The Congress on Wednesday urged President Ram Nath Kovind to either recall Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla or ensure that she discharges her constitutional duties, alleging that she has been sitting on the party’s demand of disqualifying 12 BJP MLAs and not deciding the matter expeditiously. The Opposition party said the Manipur governor had not acted on their plea against the 12 MLAs seeking their disqualification on the grounds that their appointment as parliamentary secretaries was unconstitutional despite the Election Commission submitting its opinion on the matter to her in January
A party delegation, which included AICC in-charge Manipur Bhakta Charan Das, Congress Working Committee member Gaikhangam, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Govindas Konthoujam met the president and submitted a memorandum, seeking the governor’s recall.
Speaking with the media after meeting President Kovind, Govindas Konthoujam alleged that the Constitution has been violated in Manipur, since the formation of the BJP government.
“There was no pre-poll alliance and the single largest majority was with the Congress party in the 60-member house. We got 28 seats and we were not invited to form the government in violation of the Constitution, instead 21 BJP MLAs were allowed to form the government,” he said.
One of the Congress MLAs was allowed to join the Council of Ministers of the BJP-led government, which was duly sworn in by the governor, Konthoujam said.
“The matter didn’t end here, this time 12 MLAs were appointed parliamentary secretaries and we challenged it in the high court and the high court has given a judgement declaring that the appointment of 12 MLAs as parliamentary secretaries is unconstitutional and illegal,” he said.
“We had submitted a memorandum to the governor of Manipur and the governor sought the opinion of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the ECI has already given their opinion to the governor in the month of January and till now, the governor is sitting on the opinion and her decision for the last three months,” Konthoujam alleged.
The Congress had requested her for an appointment and she has not given that, he claimed.
He said the party apprised the president of its grievances and requested him to recall the Manipur governor, “who has failed to discharge her constitutionally obligatory duties”.
The Congress, in its memorandum, urged Kovind to either recall Heptulla or ensure that she discharges her constitutional duties.
The president was kind enough for hearing us and he assured us that he will look into it, the Manipur Congress chief said.
“In Manipur, there is no Constitution, there is no law of the land and all the parliamentary practices and even the fundamental rights are being flouted,” he alleged.
Bhakta Charan Das said after waiting for over two months of the ECI submitting its opinion and the Manipur governor not giving her decision on the demand of disqualification of the 12 MLAs, the Congress leaders have approached the president, who has assured them of taking necessary steps.
He also alleged that the governor was acting under pressure of the central government.
The Congress has been alleging that in 2017 it had gotten a clear majority, but in March 2017 a clear 28-MLA majority by “allurement and dirty activities” was reduced to an artificial minority and the BJP formed its government. Immediately after forming the government, the BJP rewarded those 12 MLAs, who had defected, with parliamentary secretary posts, but were removed after a few months because they realised that these posts were illegal.
Disclaimer :- This story has not been edited and is auto-generated from news agency feeds. Source: PTI
Shah Nawazkhan 
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