Floor leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), an opposition coalition, along with a delegation of 21 Members of Parliament (MPs), who recently visited violence-hit Manipur, are scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday, according to Congress sources.
During the meeting at 11.30 am, the opposition leaders plan to raise important issues, including the situation in Manipur, concerns in Haryana, and the functioning of Parliament.
The 21-member delegation of the opposition alliance visited Manipur on Saturday to assess the situation, as the region has experienced ethnic strife and violence since May 4.
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal emphasized that the opposition remains firm in their demand for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the Manipur situation in Parliament. Venugopal questioned why the Prime Minister has not initiated a discussion on the “serious issue” despite the willingness of the INDIA alliance to engage in a debate, provided the Prime Minister is present during the session.
Venugopal said, “We are ready for any discussion. We also told as much to the Rajya Sabha chairman. If the Prime Minister comes to the House and makes a statement (on Manipur), we are ready for a discussion. When is he going to discuss this serious issue in Parliament? Why is PM running away from a discussion?”
Previously, PM Modi made a brief statement on Manipur before the commencement of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on July 20. He condemned the video of two women allegedly being stripped and paraded, promising that those responsible for the heinous act would be held accountable.
“All 21 MPs handed over a memorandum to her. As we spoke with her over the Manipur situation, she expressed her pain and grief.
“The Congress MP added that they shared their first-hand account of the ground situation and shared their experiences during their two-day visit with the Governor.
“We shared whatever we witnessed and experienced during our visit to the relief centres. She agreed with the suggestions that we put forward,” he added.
In response to the opposition’s visit to Manipur, the BJP criticized it as a “show off” and “political tourism.” The BJP accused the opposition of evading parliamentary debate on the Manipur situation, despite the government’s readiness for discussion during the ongoing session.
The delegation, consisting of MPs from various parties, shared their first-hand accounts of the ground situation and experiences during their visit to relief centers with the Governor of Manipur. They presented a memorandum to the Governor, highlighting the challenges faced in Manipur and suggesting potential solutions.
The 21-member delegation includes representatives from Congress, JDU, Trinamool Congress, DMK, CPI, CPI(M), RJD, SP, JMM, NCP, AAP, Shiv Sena, VCK, RLD, and IUML.