Opposition Demands Debate On Manipur And Women's Reservation Bill; NDA Member Raises Concerns Over Violence Against Dalits And Women

The nation is experiencing widespread outrage, with calls for the resignation of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, following the horrifying incident where two women were paraded naked and subjected to molestation in a village amidst the ongoing ethnic violence in the state. Despite occurring on May 4, the incident only gained public attention on Wednesday after a video of the incident went viral on social media.

Opposition parties have strongly criticized the Union government, particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to break his silence and provide clarity to the nation regarding the situation in Manipur. It's worth noting that PM Modi's BJP holds power both in the northeastern state and at the Central level.

Meanwhile, Recently forming a coalition of 26 parties, the Opposition seems to be gearing up for a showdown with the government during the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament. They are pushing for a discussion on the Manipur issue and demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi address the matter. In response, the Union government expressed willingness to engage in the discussion but rejected any conditions or constraints on the debate.

During an all-party meeting led by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, various political parties, including the Congress, AAP, Left parties, and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, along with other members of the newly formed INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance), remained firm in their demand for a debate on the Manipur issue.

The Congress's Rajya Sabha chief whip, Jairam Ramesh, emphasized that the first order of business in both Houses should be a discussion on Manipur, with the Prime Minister providing either a statement or a reply. He questioned the need for the Delhi ordinance, considering that a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court had already issued an order on the matter. Leading Opposition figures indicated that their protest may continue if the Prime Minister does not address the situation in Manipur.

However, the government agreed to hold a debate on the subject, stating that it is prepared for a discussion on Manipur whenever the Rajya Sabha chairman and Lok Sabha speaker finalize a date and time. However, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi criticized the demand for a statement by the Prime Minister, claiming that raising issues about the PM was akin to adding conditions that could disrupt proceedings in the House.

During the meeting, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) member and Union Minister of State, Ramdas Athawale, raised concerns about violence against Scheduled Castes and women, as reported by leaders present at the meeting. He emphasized that while atrocities against Dalits and women are indeed concerning, it should not be politicized. The Indian government has already enacted laws to address such issues, and he urged states to effectively implement these laws. Athawale stated that this matter should be appropriately raised in Parliament.

Regarding other discussions in the meeting, some parties, including the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), expressed opposition to the government's efforts to establish a uniform civil code. Additionally, a few parties called for prioritizing the women's reservation bill, which aims to ensure gender parity by guaranteeing 33% seats in legislatures for women. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) requested the government to focus on passing the women's reservation bill. Similarly, the YSR Congress Party and Bharat Rashtra Samithi also voiced their support for the bill's passage in Parliament.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh pointed out during the meeting that the government's promulgation of an ordinance on a constitutional amendment, specifically referring to the controversial ordinance granting the Centre control over Delhi's bureaucracy, was concerning. He questioned how a constitutional amendment could be made through an ordinance and expressed concerns about the impact on the federal structure. Several parties, including the Congress, supported AAP's stance on this issue.