A debate on the prolonged violence in Manipur is a “non-negotiable” demand, Opposition parties told the government in no uncertain terms during an all-party meeting on the eve of the monsoon session of Parliament on Wednesday, insisting that they would not settle for anything less than a detailed answer from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the subject.
In response, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said that the government was willing to discuss every issue permitted under the rules and approved by the Chair of each House of Parliament.
“Opposition parties have given many suggestions and our alliance leaders have also made a few recommendations. All parties have demanded for a debate on Manipur. The government is ready to discuss all the issues following the rules and regulations and with the permission of the chair in both houses of Parliament,” Mr. Joshi said, at the conclusion of the meeting, which was chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
He also informed legislators that the government has listed 32 legislative items for the session. A total of 44 leaders from 34 parties attended the meeting.
‘PM must answer’
“Just a discussion on Manipur will not suffice. The Prime Minister has to answer the debate,” the Congress’ chief whip in the Rajya Sabha Jairam Ramesh told reporters. His party colleague in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, said that the Congress would move an adjournment motion on Thursday on the issue. “We said categorically that it takes two hands to clap. If the ruling party wants to run Parliament, then it must give space to issues raised by the Opposition. We have demanded that we be allowed to raise all issues,” Mr. Chowdhury said.
Apart from the Congress, a host of Opposition parties — including those under the new INDIA banner as well as the Bharat Rashtra Party — also raised the issue, urging the PM to break his silence on the violence in Manipur.
During the meeting, the Communist Party of India’s P. Sandosh Kumar noted that the issue had been debated in the European Parliament. “Our Prime Minister’s non-engagement with a strategically located State is astonishing,” he said.
TMC skips meet
The Trinamool Congress Party skipped the meeting, with the party’s Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien calling it a “waste of time” where the government makes “empty promises”. Addressing reporters, he said, “Enough of Mann Ki Baat [the name of the PM’s monthly radio address], we want to hear Manipur Ki Baat [a conversation on Manipur]. And if you don’t speak on Manipur, you will be accused of disrupting the Parliament. You don’t want Parliament to run and that is why you don’t want to speak on Manipur,” he said.
Opposing Delhi ordinance
The INDIA bloc’s parties also spoke in one voice on the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991. “The government should withdraw the ordinance, considering a five judge bench is reviewing it in the Supreme Court. All the INDIA parties spoke about it,” Mr. Ramesh said.
The Opposition’s success in stalling the Bill replacing this ordinance hinges on support from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and YSR Congress. The BJD’s Rajya Sabha floor leader Sasmit Patra told The Hindu that his party was yet to take a position on the issue. The BJD urged the government to bring in the Women’s Reservation Bill that has been long pending.
During the meeting, the BRS launched a scathing attack on the Central government for systematically dismantling the federal structure of the country. “I asked Rajnath Singh ji can you tell me if there is any provision in the Constitution that allows the Governor to dismiss a minister. ‘Either you do not know the Constitution and if you do, then what did you do about such a Governor’,” the BRS’ Rajya Sabha leader Keshav Rao told The Hindu.
UCC issue raised
At least two parties — the BRS and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) — raised questions about the Uniform Civil Code. Mr. Rao expressed dismay that though there has been so much discussion on UCC, the Bill was not listed for the monsoon session. “The government should give us a draft Bill, that will tell us what exactly they have in mind,” he said.
IUML leader E.T. Mohammed Basheer urged the government to refrain from going ahead with such a contentious legislation. “I urged the government not to bring such a divisive and dangerous law. I do hope that they listen,” Mr. Basheer said.
Citing the rising prices of all essential commodities and vegetables, the Opposition parties collectively demanded a structured debate on inflation. Several sources said that the government is likely to concede to this demand.
