New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday wrote to Opposition leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and sought their 'invaluable cooperation' to discuss the Manipur issue in Parliament. In identical letters to Congress' Kharge, who is the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, and Chowdhury, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Shah said the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre is ready to discuss the Manipur issue and urged all to cooperate, rising above party lines.
The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader shared the two letters on his official Twitter account and said, "Today, I wrote to the opposition leaders of both houses, Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury Ji of Lok Sabha, and Shri M Kharge Ji of Rajya Sabha, appealing to them for their invaluable cooperation in the discussion of the Manipur issue. The government is ready to discuss the issue of Manipur and seeks cooperation from all the parties, rising above party lines. I hope that all the parties will cooperate in resolving this important issue."
In his letters in Hindi, Amit Shah said in the last six years of the BJP rule in Manipur, the region was experiencing a new era of peace and development.
"But due to some court decisions and some incidents, incidents of violence took place in Manipur at the beginning of May," he wrote.
"Come, let's rise above party lines to find a just and permanent solution for the challenges before the country in a harmonious way," he wrote.
Today, I wrote to the opposition leaders of both houses, Shri @adhirrcinc Ji of Lok Sabha, and Shri @kharge Ji of Rajya Sabha, appealing to them for their invaluable cooperation in the discussion of the Manipur issue.
The government is ready to discuss the issue of Manipur and… pic.twitter.com/IpGGtYSNwT
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 25, 2023
Shah said as representatives of the people, it is the collective duty of all MPs that they serve the interests of citizens and work towards the betterment of the country.
"As you know Manipur is a very important border state of the country. The rich cultural heritage of the state is the jewel of the country's culture.
"Lok Sabha has a special place in the democratic structure of the country. Our country is the mother of democracy and the world's largest democracy, Parliament represents the hopes, aspirations, problems and worries of the 140 crore population of the country," he said, adding, "I hope that all the parties will cooperate in resolving this important issue".
"Earlier also our great Parliament has done it. The opposition is demanding that the government gives a statement but I want to tell you that the government is ready not only for a statement but also for a full-fledged debate," Shah added.
Earlier in the day, while replying to a short debate on the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha, he said the government has nothing to hide and is ready to discuss the Manipur issue.
"People who are shouting slogans are neither interested in cooperation nor in cooperatives, neither in Dalits nor in women's welfare," the Union Home Minister said amid sloganeering by Opposition leaders.
"I want to reiterate that I have written letters to leaders of opposition in both Houses that we (government) are prepared for a discussion for as long as they want. The government is not afraid of anything. Those who want to debate the Manipur issue can debate. We have nothing to hide," Shah said.
"People of the country are watching you, you have to go for elections, beware of the anger of the people. I request you to create a conducive atmosphere to discuss a sensitive issue like Manipur," he added.
Proceedings in Parliament remain disrupted over Manipur violence
Proceedings in both Houses of Parliament remain disrupted ever since the Monsoon session began on July 20 with the Opposition parties demanding a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Manipur violence before a discussion.
The Opposition has cornered the government on the Manipur violence after a video of a May 4 incident appeared last week showing two women stripped and paraded naked by a mob. The Manipur Police has arrested several accused who were seen in the video. The police said a case of abduction, gang rape and murder has been registered at the Nongpok Sekmai police station in Thoubal district against unidentified armed miscreants.
Oppn likely to submit no-confidence motion notice against Modi govt
The group of 26 Opposition parties -- Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) -- is likely to submit a notice for a no-confidence motion against the government in Lok Sabha on Wednesday to make PM Narendra Modi speak in Parliament on the Manipur violence, senior leaders of the front said.
The alliance has already drawn up a draft of the notice and is in the process of getting the necessary 50 signatures of MPs. The group has to submit the notice before 10 am for it to be read out by the speaker in the House on Wednesday.
The Congress has also issued a whip in Lok Sabha for its members to be present in its parliamentary office by 10.30 am "to discuss some important issues."
The decision for the motion was taken in a meeting attended by INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) MPs in Parliament on Tuesday morning, the leaders said.
Over 160 people killed in Manipur clashes
More than 160 people have lost their lives and several have been injured since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal valley, while tribals, including Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.
