Opposition bringing new demands, interrupting discussions, says Parliamentary Affairs Minister amid chaos over Manipur

Amid ruckus over Manipur issue in the Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday said the government is ready to discuss whatever the Speaker directs but for the Opposition to bring in new demands and interrupt the discussion is wrong. Addressing the reporters outside Parliament, Joshi said, “Union Home Minister Amit Shah has officially told the Speaker and the Chairman that we are ready for a discussion. For the opposition to bring in new demands and interrupt the discussion is wrong.”

#WATCH | Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on the ruckus in parliament over the Manipur issue says, "We are ready to discuss whenever the Speaker directs. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has officially told the Speaker and the Chairman that we are ready for a discussion.… pic.twitter.com/BwmSAHRR2L

— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2023

He said there are important bills and BJP under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi wants to hold extensive discussions in Parliament. “…The Opposition just tries to build a wrong narrative and disrupt the Parliament proceedings,” Joshi added. Echoing his views, Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, said, “I would like to make an appeal to the Opposition to not change their stand repeatedly and not indulge in politics as it is a very sensitive matter related to women’s dignity, north-east and border state…I think the Parliament session should run as we’re ready to address and discuss the issue."   Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday demanded that the Prime Minister make an elaborate statement in Parliament on the Manipur situation, saying he could have dismissed the state chief minister instead of making “false equivalence” with Congress governed states if he was angry over the matter. The Congress has demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must make a statement in both houses of Parliament followed by a discussion on the situation in Manipur. The Opposition said the matter should be discussed in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha under Adjournment Motions and Suspension of Business Notices. “…For the last 77-78 days, there is an atmosphere of anarchy in Manipur. It won’t be wrong to say that there is nothing like the Government and Administration there. In this context, when the Monsoon Session of Parliament began - was it not the duty of the PM to give a statement on the Floor of the Parliament?…So, the Opposition has demanded that the matter be discussed in Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha under Adjournment Motions and Suspension of Business Notices…,” said Congress MP Manish Tewari. AAP MP Raghav Chadha said that the central government must wake up from their deep slumber and discuss the Manipur issue as the entire country wants to know what is happening in the state.

AAP MP Raghav Chadha on the ruckus in parliament over the Manipur issue says, "The violence in Manipur has shaken our collective conscience. I request the central govt to wake up from their slumber & discuss the Manipur issue...The entire country wants to know what is happening… pic.twitter.com/O6vkfW9anD

— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2023

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“The violence in Manipur has shaken our collective conscience. I request the central government to wake up from their slumber and discuss the Manipur issue…The entire country wants to know what is happening in Manipur, what has the government done?… We want that the discredited govt in Manipur to be sacked and President rule be imposed in the state.” Opposition parties have stepped up their attack on the government over the Manipur violence, especially after the video of two women being paraded naked and assaulted by a crowd in a Manipur village, went viral on social media. With inputs from agencies