Opp plans protest, seeks Manipur CM’s sacking
With the Opposition parties scheduled to stage a protest near the Gandhi statue in Parliament premises on Monday over the Manipur crisis, the Centre has appealed to all parties “with folded hands” to join the debate on the ethnic violence in the northeastern State when the Monsoon Session resumes in Parliament on Monday. There was a deadlock in proceedings in both the Houses when the Parliament Session started last week.
Opposition parties, led by the Congress on Sunday said that there would be no movement towards peace in Manipur as long as N Biren Singh remains the Chief Minister as it urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to act now and not “deflect, distort and defame to cover up” the “collapse of the so-called double engine governance” in the northeastern State.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur urged the Opposition not to politicise the issue of atrocities against women in Manipur.
The deadlock in Parliament came in the wake of the Government insisting that Home Minister Amit Shah will speak on the issue on Manipur and not Prime Minister Modi.
“Atrocities against women are painful, no matter which State the victims belong to. It is the responsibility of the State to curb such incidents,” Thakur said.Thakur said the Government is keen on a discussion on the issue of atrocities on women, which are prevalent in States such as Rajasthan, Manipur, Bihar and West Bengal.
“We wish that there should be a good discussion on this in the House, where all political parties will participate. Nobody should run away from the debate. It is my request to the Opposition with folded hands, do not run away from the discussion,” Thakur said.
He said the Opposition should not politicise such issues and should join the discussion in Parliament.
“The Opposition does all this to remain in discussion, but it does nothing to join the discussion,” Thakur said when asked about the protests on the Manipur issue.
The Opposition parties have planned joint protests in Parliament on Monday on the situation in Manipur. They have been demanding a statement from Prime Minister Modi in Parliament before starting a discussion on the issue. The Monsoon Session of Parliament began on July 20 and has witnessed disruptions over the ethnic violence in Manipur, particularly over a video purportedly shot on May 4 and depicting atrocities against women in the State. The video surfaced last week.
Congress chief spokesman Jairam Ramesh said, “Every passing day as the truth of the horror of Manipur continues to trickle out, it is clear that the law and order in the State has collapsed. Mobs, armed vigilantes and insurgent groups are running amok.
Women and families have faced the worst, unimaginable atrocities.”
“There won’t be any justice or movement towards peace as long as Biren Singh remains CM. The time has long past gone for the Prime Minister to act. He must ACT NOW and not deflect, distort and defame to cover up collapse of the so-called double engine governance in Manipur,” the Congress leader said on Twitter.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal valley, while tribals, including Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts. As many as 160 people have died ever since the ethnic and communal strife began in the State two months ago.