Cong Says Centre Has Switched Off Engine Of Constitutional Responsibility
Aug 2, 2023 | Pratirodh Bureau
FILE PHOTO: P Chidambaram said that only those who practise 'rajdharma' can preach 'rajdharma'
On Wednesday, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram raised questions over the Modi-led Central government’s handling of the situation in Manipur and said, “the Centre has switched off the engine of Constitutional responsibility and thrown away the key.”
Saying that only those who practise ‘rajdharma’ can preach ‘rajdharma’, Chidambaram said, “If the chief minister of Manipur, N Biren Singh, has any sense of constitutional morality, he should quit immediately.” He asked, taking a swipe at the BJP governments at the Centre and in Manipur, “How long will it take for the Supreme Court’s indictment of the Manipur Government to reach PMO in Delhi and CMO in Imphal?”
The former Union minister added, “The central government is like the driver of the police jeep who told the molested women ‘there is no key’. The central government has switched off the engine of Constitutional responsibility (Articles 355 and 356) and thrown away the key.”
His remarks followed the Supreme Court’s observation on Tuesday in which it came down heavily on the Centre and the Manipur government. The apex court remarked that the state police “is incapable of investigation” and there is no law and order left” in the northeastern state.
A bench headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, questioning the delay in registration of FIRs and recording of statements of victims by the Manipur Police, remarked, “The investigation is so lethargic. There has been a breakdown of constitutional machinery to the extent that FIR could not be registered. Maybe it is correct that the police could not arrest as it could not enter the locality. There was a complete breakdown of law and order machinery of the state.”
The country’s top most court has now summoned Manipur’s Director General of Police on the next date of hearing — August 7.
Raising questions over the non-interrogation of the police officials who allegedly handed over the victims in the viral video to the mob, as per their statements recorded under Sections 161 CrPC Criminal Procedure Code), the Supreme Court asked, “If law and order machinery cannot protect them then what happens to the people?”
On May 3, ethnic clashes erupted in Manipur and hundreds of people have died since then, while thousands have been forced to take refuge in relief camps. On Wednesday, a delegation of INDIA bloc MPs, who visited Manipur on July 29 and 30, along with the floor leaders were scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu.