Union Minister Piyush Goyal, during the Parliament Monsoon Session, expressed the central government’s desire to hold discussions on the Manipur violence at 2 pm on the same day in the House. He emphasized that the Centre is ready to address the situation in the violence-hit northeast state.
Piyush Goyal accused the Opposition of misusing their liberty as members and claimed that they have already wasted nine important days of the House. He urged them to engage in discussions on Manipur, stating that the government is prepared to have these discussions whenever the Rajya Sabha Chairman Speaker deems fit. However, he pointed out that the Opposition seems to be hesitant and avoiding these discussions.
Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, Piyush Goyal says "We want discussions on Manipur to take place in Parliament today at 2 pm. They (Opposition) are trying to misuse the liberty given to the members. The govt is ready to discuss Manipur, but they (Opposition) have already… pic.twitter.com/3xAsmeIq8J
— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2023
Sources revealed that floor leaders of various parties in India will meet with Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to demand that the MPs delegation who visited Manipur be allowed to speak in their respective Houses. The aim is to present the ground reality of the situation in Manipur.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur also called upon the opposition parties to participate in the discussions. He questioned the reasons for their reluctance and avoidance of talks, especially when the government has been ready for discussions on Manipur violence since day one. Thakur criticized the opposition’s behavior as mere politics, as they appear to shy away from constructive dialogue.
In the Lok Sabha, disruptions and protests by the opposition led to an adjournment until 2 pm. The opposition has consistently demanded a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament concerning the Manipur issue.
In response to the violence and unrest in Manipur, 21 opposition MPs from the INDIA alliance signed a document urging urgent rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected people to restore peace and harmony in the region. They emphasized the need for justice to be the foundation of these efforts.
Since May 3, ethnic clashes have plagued Manipur after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organized in the hill districts, protesting the Meitei community’s request for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The violent confrontations have resulted in tragic losses, with over 160 fatalities and several hundred injured.
The population of Manipur comprises Meiteis, constituting approximately 53% of the total population and primarily residing in the Imphal Valley, alongside Tribals, specifically Nagas and Kukis, making up slightly over 40% of the population and residing in the hill districts.