New Delhi: Sloganeering and the display of placards continued in both Houses of Parliament by the Opposition seeking a “suo moto” statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the volatile situation Manipur, as a result of which both Houses were adjourned for the third consecutive day on Monday. Parliament remained disrupted for the third consecutive day in the ongoing Monsoon Session. The Opposition is seeking a statement from the Prime Minister on the Manipur violence, which the government is not keen on.
“I am ready for a discussion on Manipur. I don’t know why the Opposition does not want it. I request Opposition leaders to allow the debate. It is important for the truth to come out before the country on this issue,” said home minister Amit Shah in the Lok Sabha as the treasury benches and the Opposition traded charges.
In the Rajya Sabha, as the same scenario continued despite the Chair countinuously warning members, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar suspended AAP MP Sanjay Singh for the remaining duration of the Monsoon Session for repeatedly “violating” the directives of the Chair. Leader of the House Piyush Goyal moved the motion to suspend him, which was adopted by the House by voice vote. Before the motion was moved, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar named Mr Singh for his “unruly behaviour” and cautioned him. Soon after suspending Mr Singh, the Chairman adjourned the proceedings.
In the Lok Sabha, home minister Amit Shah, deputy leader of the House and defence minister Rajnath Singh along with parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi urged the Opposition to join the discussion on Manipur. Congress’ Lok Sabha leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary said they wanted to hear the PM on the issue, to which Speaker Om Birla said it was for the government to decide who will respond and the concerned minister, Amit Shah, was prepared to reply to the questions by members. However, an unrelenting Opposition continued to raise slogans and make noise, forcing another day of adjournment.
Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP president J.P. Nadda met Mr Modi at his office in Parliament amidst the logjam, though sources said organisational matters were on the agenda as well. Separately, defence minister Rajnath Singh spoke to some Opposition members, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, over the phone on Sunday to end the deadlock.
Mr Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, accused the government of being insensitive. “When the House is in session, no Prime Minister or chief minister makes statements outside. This is the precedent. But, this is the first time he is doing this. As per precedent, he should come inside. We are again demanding the Prime Minister come to the House and make a statement,” Mr Kharge said.
“Make a statement on what is the real situation in Manipur. But the PM is not coming inside the House. He sits in his office, but is not coming inside Parliament,” he said. Mr Kharge also said defence minister Rajnath Singh had called him up and also several other leaders, including T.R. Baalu. “We told him that if the PM speaks inside Parliament, we will hold a debate on that”.
“We want the discussion to be under Rule 267 which can carry on for hours and even on the next day. We will decide on whatever comes out of the discussion and whether voting can also take place. But, the government wants a half-an-hour discussion or a short-duration discussion,” he said.
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi questioned the government’s failure in controlling the situation in Manipur and said Prime Minister Modi should speak on the issue. It has been more than 80 days and the violence is still not decreasing, she added. “Does the PM have no answerability? He gave a 36-second statement outside Parliament, but he is not telling the country through Parliament why has the chief minister not been sacked yet. Why has the home minister failed in controlling the situation? Why is the women and child development minister not visiting Manipur yet,” she asked.
JD-U leader Lalan Singh said the incidents in Manipur have shamed the nation. “Manipur has a 'double-engine' government, they are totally insensitive towards it. Our demand is that the PM should come to the House and give a statement,” he added.
In between, three bills -- the National Dental Commission 2023, the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill 2023 and the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill 2023 -- were introduced in the Lok Sabha and the DNA Technology (Use and Application) regulation Bill 2019 was withdrawn.
