Speaking at a public gathering held today at Congress Bhawan on B.T. Road, O. Joy pointed out that the Assembly is the state’s largest and most vital institution, entrusted with responsibilities over law, finance, and governance. He expressed concern that such malpractice could occur in an institution regarded as the “temple of democracy.”
He further revealed that a memorandum has already been submitted to the Prime Minister of India, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Governor of Manipur, the Chief Secretary of Manipur, and the Secretary of the Assembly, urging them to recognize the seriousness of the scam, which he said has shaken the entire state, and to ensure the formation of a House Committee without delay.
Calling corruption within the Assembly “unforgivable,” O. Joy said such actions not only erode public trust but also cast suspicion on MLAs and even the Speaker. He stressed that immediate steps must be taken to restore the dignity of the institution.
He remarked that Manipur, often described as a “sovereign kingdom of two thousand years in South East Asia,” has been tarnished by this scandal. He urged the Speaker to constitute a House Committee at the earliest to uncover the truth. If that is not possible, he said, the case should be referred to the Supreme Court for examination by a special team, investigated under the supervision of the Chief Justice or a sitting judge of the Manipur High Court, or entrusted to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a comprehensive probe.
O. Joy warned that failure to act would force the Congress party to seek an appointment with the Prime Minister and to press the Governor and other authorities to intervene.
Criticizing the BJP-led government, he alleged that the democratic system in the state has already collapsed, and even the judiciary has failed to function effectively. Nonetheless, he maintained that the Manipur Assembly recruitment scam must be investigated at the earliest to protect the integrity of the state’s democratic institutions.
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