Manipur violence: Make comprehensive statement in both houses of Parliament, says Mallikarjun Kharge

Mallikarjun Kharge. File Photo

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make a "comprehensive" statement in both houses of Parliament on the violence in Manipur, reported PTI.

He said the situation in the northeast was fragile and the repercussions of the Manipur violence seem to be spilling over to other states too, asserting that it was not good for the country's sensitive border states. Kharge said 83 days of unabated violence in Manipur require that the prime minister make a comprehensive statement in Parliament.

"Stories of absolute horror are now slowly trickling down. INDIA demands answers from the Modi Government on Manipur violence," he said on Twitter. Kharge said it was high time that Modi sheds his "ego" and takes the country into confidence on Manipur. "PM Modi must tell what his government is doing to improve the situation and when will normalcy return to Manipur," he said.

Earlier in his adjournment notice under rule 267 in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge sought suspension of business listed for the day and demanded that the prime minister make a statement in the House. "Prime Minister's shocking and unprecedented dereliction of duty and abandonment of Manipur for over nearly 80 days. "Home Minister's absolute failure in resolving the issue at hand and establishing and facilitating the peace process and efforts in the state despite his visit to the state," the notice said.

"We demand a statement to be made by the prime minister in the House on the burning and emotive issue of Manipur which is adversely affecting the Indian democratic polity followed by a detailed and comprehensive discussion," Kharge said in his notice while pointing out that violence continues even after two months in the northeastern state.

The opposition has been demanding a statement from the prime minister in both houses of Parliament on the situation in Manipur, followed by a discussion.

Meanwhile, actor and Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan slammed the government for failing to address the Manipur turmoil in Parliament. She said that after a months-old video leaked online showing two tribal women being paraded nude and assaulted by a gang of men in Manipur, the world was talking about the violence in the state, but the country's authorities were not.

(PTI)