Parliament To Witness Stormy Scenes As NDA, INDIA Plan Protests Amid Stalemate Over Manipur Crisis

The Parliament session is expected to have a rocky start this week with both NDA and INDIA planning protests as the Opposition remains adamant on demand for PM Modi's statement over the Manipur crisis.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the media on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Thursday, July 20, 2023. | File photo of the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge. ( Image Source :PTI )

The Parliament is expected to witness stormy scenes on Monday as the stalemate over holding a debate on Manipur violence will continue with MPs of various opposition parties planning a protest near Mahatma Gandhi's statue in the Parliament complex to stress on their demand for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on the issue in both houses. The opposition wants a debate allowing all parties to speak without any time restrictions and has been holding protests on the issue since the Monsoon Session began.

News agency PTI reported sources as saying that leaders of various opposition parties who have now formed the INDIA alliance will meet in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and will discuss their strategy in Parliament. After the meeting at 10 AM on Monday, the leaders will hold a protest near the Gandhi statue before entering both houses, PTI's report mentioned.

Meanwhile, the ruling BJP-led NDA is also said to be gearing up for a counterprotest as it is raising issues of sexual violence against women in Opposition parties ruled states like Congress in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, and Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.

All BJP MPs will protest in front of the Gandhi statue in Parliament House with all Union ministers also taking part, news agency ANI reported BJP sources as saying. According to ANI's report, the BJP will raise the issue of atrocities on women and Dalits in West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Rajasthan.

Last week, the government agreed to hold a short-duration discussion on the Manipur issue with Home Minister Amit Shah replying to it, but the opposition is demanding the Prime Minister's statement first amid nationwide outrage over a video of two women being paraded naked and assaulted in a Manipur village appeared on social media.

The government and the opposition are both accusing each other of running away from a debate on the all-important issue.

The Monsoon Session began on a stormy note with both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha failing to transact any business amid the stalemate between the opposition and the government over the Manipur issue.