The Government is willing to discuss every issue permitted under the rules and approved by the Chair in the Monsoon Session, including the Manipur issue, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said at an all-party meeting on Wednesday.
Joshi made the announcement during a meeting of the business advisory committee called by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, commencing from July 20. The opposition leaders had raised demands to discuss the violence in Manipur in the parliament.
Additionally, Joshi revealed that there are 32 legislative items lined up for the session.
Speaking to the media, he said, “…The Session begins today. So, a meeting of All Party Floor Leaders was convened. Thirty-four parties and forty-four leaders attended the meeting. We received significant suggestions. The government has listed 31 legislative items… All the parties desire a discussion on Manipur, and the government is prepared to address it…”
#WATCH | Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi says, "…The Session begins today. So, a meeting of All Party Floor Leaders was called. 34 parties and 44 leaders attended the meeting. We received important suggestions. Govt has 31 legislative listed items…All the parties… pic.twitter.com/ynIuJYHBzF— ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2023
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has asserted that the opposition’s demand for discussing crucial issues like Manipur and price rise during the Monsoon Session is “non-negotiable.” Speaking to PTI, he said that during Parliament sessions, all opposition parties unite to devise their strategy, and after the Bengaluru meeting, their enthusiasm has surged. “We are not the opposition party, we are the ‘India Party’ now,” he said.
Elaborating on the issues to be raised, Ramesh highlighted Manipur as a primary concern. “Yesterday, we had a meeting of 26 parties that make up the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) — they all agreed… on the issues that are going to be taken up in Parliament. Manipur is number one. Hundreds of people have been killed, thousands have been displaced, lakhs are living in relief camps, the prime minster is silent, the home minister (Amit Shah) has been ineffective, the chief minister (N Biren Singh) has been a disaster, the double engine government has completely destroyed Manipur,” he said.
Ramesh said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should actively participate in the debate on Manipur and lamented that certain issues of public concern are not being allowed to be raised, and even remarks are being expunged, raising questions about the essence of democracy.
In response to the violence, a five-member delegation of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs arrived in Imphal on Wednesday with a mission to meet with all affected groups and communities in the strife-torn state and listen to their grievances. The TMC has been critical of what they perceive as “divisive” policies of the BJP-led governments at both the Centre and in Manipur, holding them responsible for exacerbating the ethnic tensions.
The state of Manipur has been reeling under ethnic violence since May 3, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was held in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The violence has resulted in over 150 deaths, with several others sustaining injuries.
Manipur’s population consists of Meiteis, accounting for approximately 53 per cent, predominantly residing in the Imphal Valley. On the other hand, the hill districts are home to various tribal communities, including Nagas and Kukis, constituting around 40 per cent of the state’s population.
Comments
0 comment