Manipur: How Congress continues to exert pressure on PM Modi to speak in Parliament on Manipur violence | India News

NEW DELHI: The opposition protest, which started with demanding immediate discussion on Manipur ethnic violence in Parliament’s ongoing monsoon session, has now reached seeking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement in both Houses first. Even though Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla on Monday specifically disallowed such a demand saying such a new practice is not in the interest of the nation, the opposition has stuck to their stand.

While the first day of the monsoon session on July 20 was adjourned after the opposition MPs demanded suspension of business in both the Houses and immediate discussion on the Manipur violence, the next two days got disrupted as they hardened their stand and demanded a statement from the PM first followed by discussion in both the Houses.
Though home minister Amit Shah categorically told the Lok Sabha MPs that the government is ready for a discussion and wants the truth to reach everywhere in the country, the opposition has refused to budge from their stand.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, in a tweet, said, “It is shameful that the prime minister is making a statement outside the House when Parliament is in session. It is his duty to make a comprehensive statement inside the Parliament on Manipur violence. Therefore, we are requesting the chairman of Rajya Sabha and the speaker of Lok Sabha that the PM should make a statement on what is the situation in Manipur. INDIA stands with Manipur.”
Kharge, who is also the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, further said, “If PM Modi has any ounce of constitutional propriety left, then he will make an elaborate statement on the violence in Manipur since May 3. No amount of whataboutery and false equivalence shall work in the case of Manipur violence.”
Led by Kharge, leaders of several opposition parties staged a protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in Parliament premises. Carrying placards, they demanded the PM to speak in Parliament first.
Congress MP and general secretary K C Venugopal held the PM responsible for the disruption of Parliament business.
He said, “Parliament is dysfunctional because the prime minister is scared of directly facing questions. He refuses to enter the House of which he is elected leader. Manipur is in the middle of a civil war but the PM is hiding behind his subordinates. The entire nation is seething because he has allowed this crisis to spiral out of control, and his silence is beyond shameful at a time of such death and destruction.”
Congress MP and media head Jairam Ramesh also blamed Modi for adjournment of both Houses of Parliament.
He said, “Parliament did not function for the third day because of the continued refusal of the Modi government to accept the demand of INDIA parties for a comprehensive statement by the prime minister in the House on the post-May 3 situation in Manipur to be followed by a discussion. INDIA parties are only reflecting the sentiments of the people of Manipur and indeed of our country. Why is the PM running away from speaking inside the House?”
In another tweet, Ramesh accused home minister Amit Shah of keeping silent on the opposition’s demand for the PM’s statement. “In a desperate bid to manage headlines, the home minister today said that the Modi government is ready for a discussion on Manipur in Parliament. He is not doing anybody any special favour. The perfectly democratic and legitimate demand of the parties comprising INDIA is for a statement by the prime minister on the Manipur situation FIRST followed by a discussion. HM is totally silent on this. What is the hesitation in getting the PM to speak INSIDE Parliament first?” he said.
Congress Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari alleged that the PM had breached parliamentary propriety. “The joint opposition is demanding a statement from @PMOIndia on Manipur in both Houses as it is a breach of parliamentary propriety to speak outside the House when Parliament had commenced and not give a comprehensive statement in both Houses followed by a discussion under the relevant rules for adjournment of business in both Houses.”
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil, while talking to media persons at party headquarters also attacked Shah. “Today the home minister openly lied by saying that the government is ready to discuss Manipur in the House. How low will you stoop to mislead the people of this country?” he said.
Deputy leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi linked his demand to Moi’s visits to the US and France recently. “PM Modi can address the US Congress but he cannot speak inside our nation’s Parliament. PM Modi can hug French President Macron but he refuses to hug the victims of Manipur violence. The BJP is shielding the PM from speaking inside Parliament and treating the Manipur crisis as an ordinary law and order issue,” he said.
Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said the opposition did not want to disrupt Parliament. “We also want the House to function and we want the PM to answer (on the Manipur situation). We don’t want any ruckus to be created in the Parliament,” she said.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien alleged that censorship has been enforced inside Parliament. “Only BJP speakers are being shown by @sansad_tv. Rest all blocked out. Parliament being turned into a deep and dark chamber,” he alleged.