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Journalism of Courage
Another week is here and we are likely to see more of the same in Parliament — the Opposition protesting against the Narendra Modi government’s handling of the Manipur crisis, the government hitting back saying the Opposition was holding Parliament hostage for its narrow political objectives, and Bills getting pushed through amid the pandemonium.
To begin with, the delegation of Opposition MPs that visited Manipur over the weekend will brief the floor leaders of the 26 parties that constitute the INDIA alliance in the Parliament building at 9:30 am. In an interview to Manoj C G, Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha said the first step towards conflict resolution was acknowledging that there is a problem. “The problem with the Union government is that it has failed to acknowledge this. The proof of that is the Prime Minister choosing to remain silent, conspicuously silent,” he said.
So, what does Jha suggest the PM should do? “The Prime Minister should trust the Opposition in Delhi as well as in Manipur and build a concerted approach. He should acknowledge and do some work. The present CM is perceived as part of the problem. So, he cannot be part of the solution,” he said.
It is worth emphasising Jha’s message of hope amid the bleakness of the strife and how Manipur can rebuild. “There are stories of the good old days which are not that old. We need to build on those stories rather than spreading stories of hate and violence. Once you build on those stories with a sensitive approach, it is still possible for us to help people come out of this trauma, rebuild their lives, and rebuild important bridges between communities.”
The Manipur issue will also rock the West Bengal Assembly where the Trinamool Congress (TMC) will move a motion on the violence in the state. As the Assembly convened for the Monsoon Session last week TMC’s chief whip Nirmal Ghosh said it had been decided that the House would discuss the “ humanitarian crisis that the northeastern state is facing”. The BJP said back then that it would oppose any discussion on Manipur in the Assembly.
Meanwhile, starting today, Prime Minister Modi will meet the MPs of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The meetings in Delhi assume significance in light of next year’s general elections and the BJP’s attempts to strengthen its coalition. The meetings with the PM are scheduled to go on till August 10, with the legislators divided into 11 groups.
In the Lok Sabha, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to move a Motion amending the First Schedule of the Customs Tariff Act “in order to increase Import duty on Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), Propane and Butane”. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to introduce The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2023, for consideration and passing. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur is scheduled to move The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which has been passed by the Rajya Sabha, for consideration and passing.
In the Rajya Sabha, Minister of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal is scheduled to introduce The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023. Meghwal is also set to introduce The Mediation Bill, 2021, for consideration and passing. Anurag Thakur is set to introduce The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav is scheduled to introduce The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, for consideration and passing.
The drama surrounding Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar refuses to die down. After losing grip of his party earlier this month, Pawar is all set to felicitate Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the leader of the party that split his into two, in Pune on Tuesday. Several of Pawar’s party leaders and his allies want him to back out, given the optics. A delegation will meet the veteran leader in the morning. As Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena (UBT) said, Pawar would harm his “image and reputation” by attending the event.
An Inter-Ministerial Central Team will visit Telangana today to assess the damage caused by recent floods. According to Union Minister and Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy, the Central team is being dispatched on the instructions of Amit Shah. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) advisor Kunal Satyarthi will head the team and it will consist of representatives of the ministries and departments of Agriculture, Finance, Jal Shakti, Power, Road Transport and Highway, and National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC).
Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar who has been appointed the convenor of the BJP’s election committee in Madhya Pradesh will be in Rewa and Satna to address programmes. Meanwhile, today is the foundation day of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Mehbooba Mufti-led party will mark it with a rally outside its office in Srinagar.
