Opposition walks out of Assembly over Manipur incident

Opposition parties in Maharashtra legislature stage a walkout after being denied permission to discuss the Manipur situation.

Mumbai: Both the houses of Maharashtra legislature on Friday witnessed commotion after the opposition parties staged a walkout after they were not allowed to have a discussion on the Manipur situation after a video of women being paraded naked went viral on social media.

Ethnic violence has claimed over 150 lives in Manipur. (PTI)

As soon as the Assembly convened, women legislators from Congress Yashomati Thakur, Varsha Gaikwad and Praniti Shinde sought permission to speak on the incident.

Speaker Rahul Narvekar did not allow them to speak, saying that they should have sought permission in advance and he could not allow them to speak even if it was a serious incident that was condemned by all. “The House needs to function as per rules and regulations only,” Narvekar told the opposition legislators, who rushed to the well and raised slogans. When Narwekar did not budge, the legislators staged a walkout from the lower House.

Expressing her ire, Thakur told reporters: “We tried to raise the point of defending the respect of the women in Manipur, which is part of our country. Unfortunately, this House did not let us raise the issue. We are in a democracy and if this is the kind of treatment the opposition is going to get then what is the point?”

The council too witnessed ruckus over the incident when deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe denied a debate sought by the opposition legislators. Gorhe went a step ahead to remind that the 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder case, known as the Nirbhaya case, happened during the Congress-led UPA government. Even the Kurla rape and murder case took place during the erstwhile Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government, she added. The BJP members also opposed a debate leading to a war of words between the opposition and treasury benches.

Congress legislator Bhai Jagtap, who raised the issue in the council, blamed the Narendra Modi-led Central government for ignoring the Manipur violence. Other legislators such as Shashikant Shinde, Sachin Ahir, Pradnya Satav, Bhai Jagtap, Captain Abhijit Vanjari, Vilas Potnis came to the well to stage their protest against the Centre.

Gorhe also informed the upper House that she has written a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah, expressing her concern over the incident on Thursday, demanding action against the culprits.

Meanwhile, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) demanded President’s rule in Manipur. Party leader and Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray said: “What is happening in Manipur is horrible, inhuman and a national shame. A Kargil war veteran’s wife is facing this and the government does not act. Is this how he was rewarded? You do not need to be a woman or a war veteran to feel this pain, anger and disgust. The President’s rule must be imposed in Manipur. Internet and information shutdown is not the answer, shut down the inhuman violence!” Thackeray said in a tweet.