Team News Riveting
New Delhi, July 21
The horrific developments unfolding in Manipur cast its shadow in the Parliamentary proceedings as opposition members created pandemonium and stalled the business in the House.
Amidst chaos for the second consecutive day on the issue, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 11 am on Monday. The opposition members did not allow any business even in Rajya Sabha.
As the Lok Sabha assembled today, Congress members Manickam Tagore and Hibi Eden moved adjournment motions, citing the need for urgent discussions on the ethnic violence in Manipur. “The House should also direct the Prime Minister to reply for his deep silence on the matter and to explain what kind of actions have been taken by him,” they wrote in the notice, adding “The government must uphold its constitutional commitment to protect religious minorities and Scheduled Tribes”.
On Thursday, the first day of the Monsoon Session, the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha were adjourned amid uproar by the Opposition parties seeking a discussion on the deteriorating state of affairs in Manipur.
As the opposition members continued to raise slogans that “Manipur is bleeding”, Speaker Om Birla tried to pacify and told opposition members that sloganeering would not bring any solution to the problem. He stressed on dialogues and discussions. “This is not good. Solutions can be found only through discussions,” he said.
The Opposition is demanding a longer discussion under rule 267, while the government said it was “keen and agreeable” only to a shorter discussion under rule 176.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the government was ready to discuss the Manipur issue. “I had said this in the All Party Meeting and I reiterate this in the Parliament that we want a discussion in the House over Manipur. But I see that there are a few political parties that unnecessarily want to create a situation here so that the discussion on Manipur can’t take place,” he said.
