No end to Parliament impasse: Opposition steadfast in demand for Modi statement on Manipur, BJP questions its commitment to discussion

The day began with the ruling and Opposition MPs staging protests with sloganeering in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue. The BJP MPs, who came first to demonstrate before the statue, spoke passionately about the “increasing instances of violence against women in Rajasthan”.

“According to the National Crime Records Bureau report, Rajasthan stands first in the number of rape cases. It’s a matter of shame that the number of atrocities against women has increased in the state in the last four-and-a-half years,” Diya Kumari, BJP MP from Rajasthan, told The Indian Express.

When the Opposition parties came to protest, a few BJP members refused to move away from in front of the statue. The Opposition MPs, more in number, then chose to protest on the opposite side, on the steps of the old Parliament building.

They held a huge banner that said “India demands PM statement in both houses”, and shouted slogans like “We want justice”, “jawab do (give answer), Narendra Modi jawab do”, and “kayar (coward) Modij jawab do”. The protest lasted ten minutes before they dispersed to continue their protests in their respective Houses.

Inside the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said. “Considering the Manipur situation, the PM should come to the House and make a suo moto statement,” Chowdhury said. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi intervened and tried to counter the Congress leader even as the Opposition started sloganeering.

Speaker Om Birla appealed to the MPs that the House is for discussing important issues. “You can have a discussion, but you cannot decide who will reply. The concerned minister will reply,” he said, prompting the Opposition to come to the well of the House.

Birla said the government is ready to discuss the Manipur issue. Leader of the House Rajnath Singh also said the Opposition did not seem serious about the discussion.

The Speaker then took up the Question Hour and the ministers replied to five questions listed for the day. After repeating his appeal, which was rejected by the Opposition, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings till noon.