The opposition disrupted Parliament proceedings and did not allow a discussion on the Manipur issue, the BJP alleged on Thursday and said a debate would have sent out a “meaningful and positive” message to the people of the violence-hit state.
Senior BJP leader and former law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the party “condemns” the incident in which two women were paraded naked in the state and asserted that strict action is being taken by the state government in the case.
He, however, said the surfacing of the incident’s video on social media just a day ahead of Parliament’s Monsoon Session is “surrounded by lot of mystery”.
“There is question that comes to my mind about mysterious circumstances. Today, we are in July. How come a May first week incident come up on Twitter… a day before the Parliament session to begin. This raises many questions when circumstances are filled with suspicion,” Prasad told a press conference.
When a particular incident is “surrounded by lot of mystery and suspicious circumstances about the timing part, you are can draw your own conclusion”, he said.
“Once again, I say the incident is very wrong. We all condemn it. Strict action is being taken and more (action) will be taken,” the BJP leader said and added that “Chief Minister N Biren Singh is taking action and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also expressed a lot concern”.
Tension mounted in the hills of Manipur after the video surfaced on Wednesday showing the two women from one of the warring communities in the state being paraded naked by a mob from the other side. The Manipur Police on Thursday arrested one of the main accused who was seen in the video.
Manipur has been witnessing ethnic clashes since May 3 between the majority Meitei community, concentrated in the Imphal valley, and the tribal Kukis, occupying the hills. Over 160 people have been killed in the violence so far.
Prasad also wondered how Twitter allowed such a video to be posted on its platform when there are “mechanisms” in place to prevent people with unauthenticated accounts from posting “vulnerable comments and videos”.
He also appealed to the people to be “a bit responsible” while posting content on social media.
“India is independent and everyone has the right to express one’s thoughts,” Prasad said while asking people, “Be it Twitter or any other platform, would you show such pictures of your daughters.”
“This is very painful. Beyond this, I don’t have anything to say,” the BJP leader said.
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on the first day of the Monsoon session, amid uproar by the opposition on the Manipur issue.
Prasad hit out at opposition parties, accusing it of disrupting Parliament proceedings. “The Manipur incident is unfortunate. We are all in grief,” he said.
“However, it’s painful that when Piyush Goyal (Leader of the House) in Rajya Sabha and (Parliamentary Affairs Minister) Pralhad Joshi in Lok Sabha clearly said that the government is ready for a discussion on Manipur, the Congress and other opposition parties started arguing over the clauses (rules) under which discussion should take place,” he charged.
“So for you the incident that happened there is not important, but the clauses,” Prasad added.
When Rajya Sabha was in session, Goyal had said the government has no objections and was ready for a discussion.
But when Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar allowed the notices for a short-duration discussion on Manipur, Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the House Mallikarjun Kharge raised objections and said all the business of the House be suspended first and their notices for a discussion on Manipur under Rule 267 be taken up.
Rule 267 of the Upper House of Parliament pertains to suspension of rules.
BJP leader Prasad said one person has been arrested in connection with the Manipur video incident with Chief Minister Singh taking “strict actions”.
The situation has improved in Manipur, Prasad claimed, adding that a discussion in both Houses of Parliament on the situation in the northeastern state would have helped the government in restoring normalcy there with sensitivity.
The BJP leader hit out at the Congress, accusing the party of running away from discussion on Manipur as incidents of rape is rising in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. The Congress is in power in both the states, where assembly polls are due to be held later this year.
“What is your approach towards sensitive issues…Sonia (Gandhi) ji, Priyanka (Gandhi Vadra) ji, Rahul (Gandhi) ji, (Mallikarjun) Kharge ji, why are you silent on the Jodhpur incident where four persons of a family including women were burnt alive? Did you call them or even speak to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot,” he asked, accusing the Congress of “double standards”.
