Lawmakers from the Opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) staged a protest near the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex on Monday, voicing their concern over the government’s silence on the recent ethnic violence in Manipur. The lawmakers reiterated their demand for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make a statement on the situation in the region. Led by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, the protestors called upon both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha presiding officers to urge PM Modi to address the issue.
Kharge expressed disappointment that the Prime Minister seldom attends Parliament sessions and only stays in his office, seemingly detached from ongoing discussions. He emphasized that a statement from the PM would pave the way for a meaningful discussion in the Parliament on the Manipur crisis. Rule 267 of the parliamentary procedure permits a discussion on such critical issues for either one hour or the entire day, but the government has been reluctant to allow such a debate.
Instead, they suggested short duration discussions, which further fueled the Opposition’s demand for the PM’s statement. The trigger for the protest was a distressing video that emerged online on July 19, depicting the horrifying act of three women being stripped naked and paraded in Manipur. This incident sparked nationwide outrage and resulted in the stalling of the first two days of the monsoon session last week. However, the INDIA alliance remained steadfast in their insistence on PM Modi addressing the matter personally. The government, through Union Home Minister Amit Shah, expressed its readiness to debate the issue in both Houses.
Despite this, the Opposition alliance remained resolute in their demand for the Prime Minister’s direct involvement. The INDIA alliance partners convened a meeting at Kharge’s office on Monday morning to strategize for the second week of the session and later organized a sit-in at the Gandhi statue, raising awareness about the Manipur issue. In response to the protest, the Bharatiya Janata Party staged a counter-protest, criticizing the Opposition’s silence on crimes against women in Congress-ruled Rajasthan and TMC-governed West Bengal. Amidst the protests, the government intended to pass the MultiState Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022, in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Additionally, a bill to replace the ordinance granting control of bureaucrats in Delhi to the Union government was expected to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha later in the week. The first two days of the monsoon session saw minimal functioning in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, with only 5% and 8% of their respective time utilized. As a result, essential questions and issues during Question Hour and Zero Hour remained unanswered. Overall, the Opposition’s demand for PM Modi’s statement on the Manipur issue remained a significant point of contention in the Parliament during the second week of the monsoon session.