Union Home Minister Amit Shah told the Lok Sabha on July 24 that the government was ready for a discussion on Manipur on the floor of the House as the country needs to know the truth about the sensitive situation in the State.
Mr. Shah briefly spoke in the House before it was adjourned for the day as Opposition members trooped into the well of the House, insisting on a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Manipur situation.
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“I want to request all the honourable Opposition MPs that many members, both from the ruling side as well as the Opposition, demanded a discussion on a very sensitive issue. I am ready for a discussion but I don’t know why the Opposition doesn’t want to allow a discussion,” Mr. Shah said.
He added that the country should know the truth of this sensitive issue and appealed to the Opposition members to allow a discussion.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also urged the members to return to their seats but when they didn’t relent, he adjourned for the day.
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Earlier, in the pre-lunch session, the government withdrew the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019 and introduced three Bills: the National Dental Commission Bill, 2023, the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023, and the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
When the House met at 11 a.m., Opposition members from the Congress, DMK, Left parties, and others were on their feet. They were holding up placards that read “INDIA wants discussion on Manipur violence”, “INDIA for Manipur”, “PM must answer” and so on.
Mr. Birla allowed Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who insisted that Mr. Modi make a suo motu statement on Manipur violence in the House.
The Speaker told him that the House can have a discussion from noon and asked the Opposition to let the Question Hour function. “The whole House is ready for the discussion and the government will reply to the debate too. But you will not decide who will reply to the debate,” Mr. Birla said.
Accusing the Opposition of running away from the discussion, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the government is ready for a discussion.
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is also the Deputy Leader of the Lok Sabha, too said that the government is willing to discuss the Manipur violence. As the Opposition members stuck to their demand, Mr. Birla adjourned the House until 12 noon after running Question Hour for 26 minutes.
At noon, the Chair allowed the government to introduce three Bills and withdraw one before the House was adjourned until 2 p.m. When the House reconvened at 2:30 p.m., Opposition members didn’t relent despite appeals from the Speaker as well as the Home Minister to start the Manipur discussion.
