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Manipur violence: Opposition seeks PM Modi’s reply; Shah will respond, says govt
No end appeared in sight to the impasse in Parliament over the violence in Manipur with Opposition parties insisting on a debate involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
No end appeared in sight to the impasse in Parliament over the violence in Manipur with Opposition parties insisting on a debate involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the government saying it was ready for a discussion in which Union home minister Amit Shah would give an elaborate reply.
The 26 Opposition parties, which announced a new alliance – Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, or INDIA – on Tuesday, also tried to push a number of adjournment motions so that the Manipur issue could be discussed by setting aside the scheduled agenda on the first day of the Monsoon session. These notices were given in the Rajya Sabha by several leaders, including Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, under Rule 267 for the suspension of business.
Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, however, referred to some of the other notices he received for a short-duration discussion (Rule 176), which does not call for the scheduled agenda to be set aside. “Various members have demanded a short duration discussion on Manipur. Members are keen to engage in discussion on Manipur. I have considered those notices, now I have to consult the date and time from the Leader of the House (Union minister Piyush Goyal),” Dhankhar said, after Goyal announced that the government was ready to discuss the Manipur situation.
But Opposition members erupted in protests, demanding suspension of business, and not just a short-duration discussion, leading to adjournment of the House. The Lok Sabha, too, was adjourned without much business. Leaders from opposition parties said they had rejected the government’s offer for a reply by the home minister, and said they would stick to their demand for a reply by the Prime Minister, who spoke briefly outside the House on Thursday morning on a horrific incident in the state in which three women were stripped and paraded naked. Videos of the incident, which took place on May 4, surfaced on social media on Wednesday and sparked an outcry across the country.
“The incident of Manipur which has come to the fore is shameful for any civilisation. The country is shamed. I appeal to all chief ministers to strengthen laws to take stringent action...,” Modi said. In response, Congress chief Kharge asked why the PM had waited for so long to raise the issue. “... You (PM) had time to call a meeting of 38 parties, but did you spend one hour (to visit Manipur)” Kharge said.
The INDIA alliance’s position on a Manipur debate, and the government’s position that it would discuss the issue without conditions or caveats, were set to lead to more disruptions in Parliament.
The Congress announced that the demand of the 26-party INDIA is very clear. “The PM should make a statement... in both Houses... after which there should be a discussion...,” general secretary Jairam Ramesh said.
Amid the uproar in the Lok Sabha on Thursday morning, Union parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said: “Manipur is a sensitive, humanitarian issue. That’s why we want to debate and the Union home minister will give a detailed reply. I want to appeal for cooperation to run the House... People are watching us. There are important bills and many important issues to be discussed. We are ready to discuss Manipur. Let the Speaker decide the date.”
In the Rajya Sabha, Kharge objected to Goyal’s assurance for a debate and Dhankhar’s reference to a short-duration discussion.
TMC’s Derek O’Brien said that “under rule 267, we want a discussion here on Manipur”. Meanwhile in Patna, Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav said: “Congress leader Rahul Gandhi can visit Manipur but not the PM? Had it been an opposition-ruled state, one can imagine which (central probe) agencies would have been involved by now.”
