Amit Shah writes to opposition MPs, seeks ‘invaluable cooperation’ to organize debate in Manipur

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday wrote to opposition leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, seeking their “invaluable cooperation” to discuss the Manipur issue in Parliament. In similar letters to the Congress’s Kharge, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, and Chaudhary, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Shah said the Narendra Modi-led government at the Center is ready to discuss the Manipur issue and urged everyone to cooperate cutting across 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 Leaders of Opposition in both Houses, Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury ji of the Lok Sabha and Shri M Kharge ji of the Rajya Sabha, seeking their invaluable cooperation in discussing the Manipur issue. The government is ready to discuss the Manipur issue and seeks cooperation from all parties cutting across party lines. I hope all parties cooperate in resolving this important issue.”

In his letters in Hindi, Amit Shah said that in the last six years of BJP rule in Manipur, the region is experiencing a new era of peace and development.

cre trending stories

“But due to some court decisions and some incidents there were incidents of violence in Manipur in early May,” he wrote.

“Let us rise above party lines to find just and lasting solutions in a harmonious manner to the challenges facing the country,” he wrote.

Today I wrote a letter to the opposition leaders of both houses Mr. @adhirrsync Mr. and Mr. Lok Sabha @kharge Rajya Sabha KG appealed to him for invaluable cooperation in the discussion on the Manipur issue.

The government is ready to discuss the issue of Manipur and… pic.twitter.com/IpGGtYSNwT– Amit Shah (@AmitShah) 25 July 2023

Shah said that as the representatives of the people, it is the collective duty of all MPs to serve the interests of the citizens and work for the betterment of the country.

“As you are aware that 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.

He said, “Lok Sabha has a special place in the democratic structure of the country. Our country is the mother of democracy and the largest democracy in the world. Parliament represents the hopes, aspirations, problems and concerns of the country’s 140 crore population. “I hope all parties will cooperate to resolve this important issue,” he said.

Shah said, “Earlier also our great Parliament has done this. The opposition is demanding that the government make a statement but I want to tell you that the government is ready not only for the statement but also for the full debate.”

Earlier in the day, replying to a brief debate on the Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha, he said the government had nothing to hide and was ready to discuss the Manipur issue.

“Those who are raising slogans are neither interested in cooperation, nor in co-operation, nor in Dalits, nor in women’s welfare,” the Union Home Minister said amid sloganeering by opposition leaders.

Shah said, “I want to reiterate that I have written to the leaders of the opposition in both houses that we (the government) are ready for a discussion as long as they want. The government is not afraid of anything. Those who want to debate on the Manipur issue can debate. We have nothing to hide.”

“The people of the country are watching you, you have to go to the polls, beware of people’s anger. I request you to create a conducive environment for discussion on a sensitive issue like Manipur,” he said.

Parliament stalled over Manipur violence

Since the commencement of the monsoon session on July 20, proceedings in both houses of Parliament have been disrupted with opposition parties demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on the Manipur violence before the discussion.

The opposition has cornered the government over the Manipur violence after a video of the May 4 incident surfaced last week, showing two women being paraded naked by a mob. Manipur Police has arrested many of the accused seen in the video. A case of kidnapping, gangrape and murder has been registered at Nongpok Sekmai police station in Thoubal district against unidentified armed miscreants, police said.

Opposition can give notice of no confidence motion against Modi government

The grouping of 26 opposition parties – the Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) – may table a notice of no-confidence motion against the government in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday so that Prime Minister Narendra Modi can speak on the Manipur violence in Parliament, senior leaders of the front said.

The alliance has already drafted the notice and is in the process of getting signatures of the required 50 MPs. The group has to submit the notice before 10 am to be read out by the Speaker in the House on Wednesday.

The Congress has also issued a whip in the Lok Sabha asking its members to attend their parliamentary office by 10.30 am “to discuss certain important issues”.

The leaders said the decision on the proposal was taken at a meeting of Bharatiya (Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance) MPs in Parliament on Tuesday morning.

Over 160 killed in Manipur clashes

Over 160 people have lost their lives and many have been injured since caste violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, when a ‘tribal solidarity march’ was held in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The Meitei people account for about 53 percent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals including the Nagas and Kukis account for 40 percent and live mostly in the hill districts.