Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday raised the issue of the Manipur video in Rajya Sabha, hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his continued “silence” on the matter.
“I have made my full efforts to attract your attention and gave notice but unfortunately, I am not allowed to raise this (Rule) 267. You know Manipur is burning, women are raped and paraded naked… and Prime Minister is keeping quiet. He is giving statement outside,” said the Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition.
The remarks came as the Manipur issue rocked Rajya Sabha on the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on Thursday with Opposition members creating an uproar over their demand for a discussion on the situation in the northeastern state.
Several Opposition members, including Kharge, have given notices under Rule 267, while demanding a discussion on Manipur violence.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar asked Opposition members to maintain order in the house amid intensified sloganeering as some of them shouted “Manipur”, “Manipur” forcing him to adjourn the House for the day.
A viral video which showed two women being paraded naked and one of them being sexually assaulted sent shockwaves across the nation, triggering widespread condemnation.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on the incident in Manipur, the Congress on Thursday accused him of playing politics by mentioning Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh while “breaking his silence” on the northeastern state and said this was “too little too late” and “mere words won’t do anymore”.
Before the start of the Monsoon Session, the PM said the horrific Manipur incident has shamed 140 crore Indians, asserting that law will act with its full might and no guilty will be spared. He requested all chief ministers to further strengthen law and order mechanism in their respective states, especially to protect women and to take most stringent action.
Hitting out at Modi, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said after more than 1800 hours of an “incomprehensible and unforgivable silence”, the Prime Minister finally spoke on Manipur for a sum total of 30 seconds.
He said after this the, “PM tried to divert attention from the colossal governance failures and the humanitarian tragedy in Manipur by equating crimes against women in other states, especially those governed by the opposition while ignoring atrocities on women in states like Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat”.
The Prime Minister completely sidestepped the issue of the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur, the Congress leader alleged in a tweet.
Meanwhile, speaking of the incident, which reportedly took place on May 4, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that one person has been arrested in the case.