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Is President's rule not being imposed in Manipur because…?': Raghav Chadha
Raghav Chadha also questioned why the Central government was violating Section 355 and 356 and sought answers in the Parliament.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha raked up the ongoing Manipur violence issue taking asked why the President's rule was not being imposed in the northeastern. He said, “Do all the decisions have to be inspired by politics?”
Speaking to news agency PTI, Chadha said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Manipur would have to be removed if the President's rule is imposed. “Is the President's rule not being imposed in Manipur because there is a BJP government in the state?” he asked.
Chadha further asked if the situation would remain the same if Manipur was governed by any other political party.
“If the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress, RJD, or any other party had formed the government in Manipur, wouldn't the BJP-led central government impose the President's rule in the state then?”
Chadha also questioned why the Central government was violating Section 355 and 356 and sought answers in Parliament.
Article 355 comprises emergency provisions that are to be used in rare circumstances. It states that under external aggression or internal disturbances, the Union government is responsible to protect every state. It empowers the Union government to declare either a state of emergency through Article 352 or declare Presidential rule in a state through Article 356.
Before the Parliament session began on Monday, Chadha told news agency ANI, that it was the responsibility of the government to maintain peace in the country.
Demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi should speak on violence-hit Manipur, Chadha said, “The country demands that the government and PM Modi should speak on the issue of Manipur. It is the responsibility of the Central government to restore peace in the country. Today we are going to protest against this issue in the Parliament. The Chairman should allow us to discuss the Manipur issue.”
Several MPs in both houses of Parliament have submitted notices for adjournment motion on Manipur violence.
Since the monsoon session of Parliament began, the Opposition has demanded a discussion on Manipur violence. The first two days of the monsoon session were washed out and the second week’s proceedings, which began on Monday, remain uncertain as the government and the opposition INDIA alliance stuck to their positions over the debate on the Manipur situation in the Parliament.
Manipur violence and the viral video
Since May 3, the northeastern state has been gripped by ethnic clashes – primarily between the tribal Kukis, who mostly reside in the hill districts, and the majority Meiteis, the dominant community in Imphal Valley – in which at least 50,000 people have been displaced. Clashes first broke out on May 3 in Churachandpur town after Kuki groups called for protests against a proposed tweak to the state’s reservation matrix, granting scheduled tribe (ST) status to the Meitei community. Violence quickly engulfed the state where ethnic fault lines run deep, displacing people who fled burning homes and neighbourhoods into jungles, often across state borders.
A video of women disrobed and sexually assaulted by an armed mob of miscreants on May 4 went viral last week and has sparked massive outrage across the country. The incident had taken place in B Phainom village on May 4, where three women were stripped, one of them was sexually assaulted and their two male members murdered.
While the horrific crime happened on May 4, Manipur police began the probe and made the first arrest more than two months later (July 20), after a horrific 30-second video of the assault was shared on social media. The video showed the men hooting and applauding as they groped the victims. Police have so far arrested five men and apprehended a juvenile in the case.
