Human rights activist refuses apology before Manipur Assembly committee

NNN
IMPHAL, February 9

Noted Manipur human rights activist, Babloo Loitongbam who appeared before the Committee of Privileged and Ethics of Manipur Legislative Assembly today has refused to offer his apology.
A controversial statement made by the human rights activist and executive director of Human Rights Alert against the 60 legislators of the state in the wake of series of people’s protest demanding implementation of Inner Line Permit System in Manipur has drawn the attention of the house of state Assembly. Babloo had made a ‘derogatory’ remarked against the 60 legislators terming them as “Mithibong Mittambal (cowards)” during a programme broad cast in a private TV channel on July 22 last year, discussing about the issue related with the mass protest of the people demanding implementation of the ILP system in the state, spearheaded by Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System.
Last year, he was summoned to attend the meeting of the Committee of Privileges and Ethics today to discuss the status of the breach of privilege motion which was moved by state Parliamentary secretary Vungzagin Valte and opposition member Dr I Ibohalbi of AITC during the Assembly session.
Babloo was summoned to appear before the Committee during the session. However, he did not appeared as he was out of station at that point of time. Since then, the case against him was pending.
After attending the meeting, Babloo reminded and said that he appeared before the Committee after he was summoned regarding the privilege motion moved against him for his statement of ‘mithibong mittambal’.
Admitting that he had made the remark, he said that he had not made the remark to disrespect the House of the state Assembly but was used as a sign of “frustration on the alleged failure of the House to understand the aspiration of the public.”
The committee asked him to offer an apology so as to close the case against him for breaching the privilege and contempt of the house.
However, he declined it sticking to his word that it was made out of frustration.
A source from the Assembly secretariat said that the privilege Committee of Privilege and Ethics will hold another meeting to discuss the matter arising out after the human rights activist refused to tender an apology.
Babloo will not be summoned in the proposed meeting which would discus on issue arising out of his refusal to offer apology, the source said.
The source, however, refused to disclose what action is likely to take up against him but said that a report regarding the breach of privilege will be presented in the Assembly during its schedule session from February 25 next so that the house discusses on appropriate action against him.