Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday silenced his critics on the Opposition benches in the Rajya Sabha by informing the House that violence in Manipur is continuously declining, schools have reopened in most parts of the State, and efforts are being made to ensure return of complete peace.
Replying to a debate in the Upper House of Parliament on the motion of thanks to President Droupadi Murmu’s address to a joint sitting of Parliament, the Prime Minister said more than 500 people have been arrested and over 11,000 FIRs registered in Manipur.
Modi said the Centre is working with the State Government and others to restore normalcy in the State. Addressing Rajya Sabha members, Modi said Manipur is also grappling with floods, prompting the Centre to dispatch two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to the flood-hit State.
Modi also promised action in the NEET paper leak case, and listed out achievements of his past two terms and priorities for the third.
The Prime Minister spoke at length on the alleged irregularities in the conduct of competitive exams, and asserted that tough action will be taken against those involved in paper leaks.
“We wanted there should be no politics on a sensitive issue like paper leak, but the Opposition is used to it. I assure the youth of India that action is being taken to ensure that those who play with the future of students are handed down strict punishment,” he said.
On Manipur, Modi said Union Home Minister Amit Shah himself led from the front the efforts for peace by being in Manipur.
The Prime Minister pointed out that the deeply rooted social conflict in Manipur has a long history, leading to the imposition of President’s rule 10 times since Independence. He also mentioned the five-year-long social conflict in Manipur from 1993 onwards.
Modi emphasised that there is a need to handle the situation with wisdom and patience. He invited all the like-minded people to help him in his efforts to ensure normalcy and peace in Manipur.
The Prime Minister has been facing the wrath of Opposition led by Congress which has charged that Modi is yet to speak on the floor of Parliament on the burning issue of Manipur violence and had again given a miss to the subject in his more than two-hour long speech in the Lok Sabha a day earlier.
The Opposition also alleged that the Prime Minister did not address the issue of paper leaks about which Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had written to the Prime Minister requesting a discussion on NEET and NET paper leaks.
INDIA Bloc parties, led by the Congress, staged a walkout in the Upper House after the Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge was not allowed to intervene during Prime Minister’s speech. Kharge wanted to intervene during Modi’s reply to a discussion on the motion thanking the President for her address to the joint sitting of the Parliament. Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, however, did not concede his requests, prompting INDIA bloc MPs to raise slogans demanding that the LoP be allowed to speak.
Modi continued his speech amid the din of sloganeering. This went on for some time with Kharge repeatedly pleading to be allowed to speak. When the permission did come through, INDIA bloc MPs staged a walkout in the House. Dhankhar condemned their action, saying this was an insult to the Constitution.
Modi, too, decried the walkout and said he is not trying to score points but is duty-bound to give an account of his government’s performance.
The 264th session of Rajya Sabha, which began on June 27, concluded after Prime Minister replied to the motion of thanks, and the House adopted it. Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die on Wednesday after the House adopted the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament. Sources said the Monsoon Session is likely to begin shortly during which the annual Budget is to be presented by the third tenure of NDA Government led by Narendra Modi.
Modi listed out achievements of his previous terms, ranging from raising of the minimum support price for crops to giving the poor access to the banking system and loans, and driving India’s rise to become the fifth largest economy in the world.
Rejecting the charge that the Government was misusing probe agencies, Modi cited statements made by Opposition leaders like late Mulayam Singh Yadav who had accused the UPA Government of using ED and CBI against them. He also accused the Opposition of selective outrage on atrocities against women, saying none of them said a word on public beating of a woman in West Bengal.
Modi accused the Grand Old Party of being “the biggest opponent of the Constitution” and of running a “fake narrative” to mislead the public.
