Manipur issue rocks Delhi Assembly, 5 BJP MLAs marshalled out

New Delhi: Five BJP MLAs were marshalled out of the Delhi Assembly during its proceedings on Thursday for protesting against a discussion over the Manipur issue, following which the party's other members staged a walkout. AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak began a short duration discussion over the violence in the northeastern state prompting a protest from the BJP MLAs who got up from their seats, and said issues related to Delhi should be debated in the House. Lakhs of people from Manipur live in Delhi and it was "our right and duty to discuss the issue in the House", he said.

Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla questioned the BJP legislators over their protest saying, "Do they feel that Manipur is not an issue to be discussed in the Assembly? The UP Assembly also discussed the Manipur issue." As BJP MLAs continued their protest, four of them -- Abhay Verma, Jitender Mahajan, Ajay Mahawar and OP Sharma -- were marshalled out of the House. Later, Mohan Singh Bisht was also marshalled out, following which other BJP members walked out. The BJP has eight legislators in the 70-member Assembly. The BJP legislators later staged a protest outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's office in the Assembly, alleging corruption in the AAP government. Wearing black t-shirts and caps, and carrying placards, they raised slogans against Kejriwal.

Their t-shirts were printed with a list of alleged scams in the government which mentioned the excise policy, revamp of the chief minister's residence, installation of panic buttons in buses and classroom construction among others. Back in the House, as the ruckus prevailed, Pathak said it was unfortunate the BJP objected to a discussion over the Manipur issue in the Delhi Assembly even though the matter was debated by the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. Led by Pathak, AAP legislators raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Pathak alleged women were facing atrocities in BJP-ruled Manipur. "Nothing could be more unfortunate that people were forced to escape from Manipur to Myanmar due to the violence in the state," he claimed.

Manipur was burning due to the policies of the BJP, he said, adding people in the state were unsafe. "While Manipur was burning, the prime minister was touring foreign countries," he alleged. Delhi Cabinet Minister Gopal Rai said everyone knows that Manipur has been burning for 100 days. "Even Britishers did not have the audacity to commit such acts in any state of the country that were committed in Manipur. The prime minister has prepared a Manipur model. The BJP has shown the model of the double engine government burning a state. "In 1905, Britishers had instigated Hindus and Muslims against each other and divided Bengal. Similar things are happening in Manipur with Kukis and Meiteis being made to fight with each other," he said. Whatever is happening is not Manipur's pain alone, but of the entire country, he said. "If you are with Manipur, you will have to fight this prime minister. If you are with Manipur, you will have to speak up against the prime minister," he said.