Ask PM to speak in Parliament on Manipur: Oppn to Prez

Leaders of the opposition bloc INDIA on Wednesday met President Droupadi Murmu and submitted a memorandum over their demand for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement in Parliament on Manipur and to list steps needed to restore peace in the violence-hit state.

They also demanded that the prime minister visit the strife-torn state and make an appeal to the warring communities to end violence and promote brotherhood.

In the memorandum submitted to the President, 31 leaders of the opposition bloc also raised the issue of communal tension in Haryana's Nuh and alleged that the Central government was not bothered about the developments that are taking place "barely 100 km from the Prime Minister's Office".

Addressing the media after meeting the President, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the members of the delegation that included MPs who had recently visited Manipur also apprised the President of the situation in the state and shared what they saw in the affected areas.

Kharge along with other opposition leaders told reporters outside Rashtrapati Bhawan that 31 members of the alliance met the President and apprised her of the developments in Manipur.

"We also submitted a memorandum to the President and how incidents of violence were continuing, especially atrocities against women and parading them naked," he said, adding that over 5,000 houses have been burnt, over 200 are dead and more than 500 people were injured in the violence in Manipur so far, even as 60,000 people have been displaced.

He said the rehabilitation camps, where the affected people have been lodged, are not equipped with proper living or medical facilities.

"We had met the President to bring her attention to the Manipur issue...We told the President about everything, be it Manipur or Haryana violence," Kharge said.

"The main demand is that the prime minister should speak and visit Manipur and list out steps needed to bring peace in Manipur and provide relief to the people of the state," he said.

"We implore you to press upon the prime minister to urgently address Parliament on the prevailing situation in Manipur, followed by a detailed and comprehensive discussion on the matter," the opposition bloc said in the memorandum.

"We urgently request your kind intervention to establish peace and harmony in the state without any further delay. Accountability for the devastation of the past 92 days must be determined. Both the Union government and the state government must fulfil their duty to provide justice to the affected communities," the memorandum also said.

It said her support and intervention are crucial in alleviating the suffering of the people of Manipur.

Kharge later said that the President has assured to look into their memorandum and demands.

Among the leaders who accompanied the Congress chief were Tiruchi Siva, Kanimozhi, Rajiv Ranjan 'Lallan' Singh, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Gaurav Gogoi, Sushil Kumar Gupta, Sushmita Dev, Jayant Singh, Manoj Jha, among others.

Kharge said the prime minister has neither been coming to the House nor making a statement on what steps he intends to take to bring peace and normalcy in the state.

The Congress chief also said that the opposition has been demanding a discussion in both houses of Parliament on Manipur but the government is disallowing.

"My mike is shut off within seconds after I am allowed to speak in Rajya Sabha and then the treasury benches start making noise. This is an insult to the leader of the opposition," he said, adding this is happening despite the Chairman saying that he sees the Leader of the House and that of the opposition equally.

Trinamool Congress leader Sushmita Dev also asked the president to nominate two Manipuri women from different communities to the Rajya Sabha to help rectify the "grievous harm" inflicted on women of the state.

She made the suggestion when a delegation of the opposition bloc met the President.