Manipur Issue In Parliament: Opposition Objects To ‘Short Discussion’, Both Houses Adjourned

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar agreed to a ‘short-duration’ discussion on issues related to Manipur this afternoon after Union minister Piyush Goyal said the Central government was ready to debate the issue.

But once the issue was taken up, Opposition members expressed their displeasure in no uncertain terms, and resorted to shouting and sloganeering. Rajya Sabha was ultimately adjourned for the day, after proceedings in Lok Sabha had already ended on Monday.

Opposition members kept pressing for a discussion under Rule 267, which allows for a suspension of all other business in the House.

However, Dhankhar said the government was ready for a short duration discussion, under Rule 176.

Opposition MPs refused to budge from their demand, even as Dhankar kept saying that was his ruling.

Amid the din and chaos, the House saw repeated adjournments.

The Opposition’s other repeated demand has been a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Manipur situation in Parliament.

“We want a detailed discussion on the Manipur issue. Our delegations have gone to Manipur. It is a very serious issue, why can’t the Prime Minister come? We are all ready to discuss Manipur,” Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien said.

Union minister Goyal, on the other hand, claimed that it was the Opposition who were avoiding a discussion on Manipur.

“We have clearly said to the Rajya Sabha Chairman Speaker that whenever he wants, we are ready to have discussions on Manipur. We are requesting the Opposition to have discussions for 10 days. The Opposition is scared of something, they are running away from discussions,” said Goyal.