“Ready for discussion on Manipur only if…”: KC Venugopal

New Delhi [India], July 31 : As the ruling party at the Centre is continuously accusing the Opposition of ‘running away’ from the discussion over the Manipur issue and disrupting the proceedings of both Houses of the Parliament, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal on Monday said that the Opposition is ready for any discussion only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's presence in the Parliament.
Venugopal, while talking to ANI said that the Opposition will have a discussion even under rule 176--"short duration", but PM presence is ‘compulsory’.
"For the last 90 days, Manipur is burning...but till now PM Modi broke his silence only once, that too for 30 seconds. If we are ready for the discussion, why the PM is running away on this very serious issue? We are ready for any discussion and today, we told the Chairman (Rajya Sabha) too to take up the issue for a discussion. If the PM is ready to come to the Parliament, we are ready for discussion,” Venugopal said.
Both Houses of the Parliament were once again adjourned for the day to meet tomorrow at 11 am amid sloganeering by the Opposition over the Manipur issue.
Parliament has not been able to function since the start of the Session on July 20, with the Opposition also demanding a statement by Prime Minister Modi in the House on the crisis. The Opposition even brought a no-trust motion last week, in a bid to compel PM Modi to speak on the Manipur issue within the Parliament.
Opposition members have been seeking discussion under Rule 267 in the Rajya Sabha since the beginning of the monsoon session of Parliament on July 20.
While Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar permitted a discussion for a "short duration" to be taken up on the situation in Manipur, the Opposition objected to it and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's presence in Parliament.
Rule 176 is another rule of procedure in the Rajya Sabha that allows for short-duration discussions. As the name suggests, these discussions do not last for more than two-and-a-half hours. Unlike Rule 267, Rule 176 does not require a formal motion or voting process.
However, the Opposition continued sloganeering forcing the Upper House to be adjourned.
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, later in the day while addressing a press conference said the government has agreed to discuss the Manipur ethnic violence in parliament, but the opposition has not allowed that to happen.
"They have been demanding discussion even under 176. The names of the Opposition leaders which are being followed in today's list of business and for your sack, I recall the name: John Brittas, AD Singh, all respectable honarable members Professor Manoj Kumar Jha, Fouzia Khan, AA Rahim, Rajeet Ranjan, GC Chandrashekar, Phoolan Devi Netam, and Elamaram Kareem. They all are Opposition who wanted discussion under 176. Now on that 176 we have agreed and included all the names because they all wanted 176," she said.
Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Jagdeep Dhankhar interacted with the Leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha) Mallikarjun Kharge in his chamber in Parliament today.
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, Pralhad Joshi; Minister of State for Law and Justice, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture, Arjun Ram Meghwal; Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan; and Member Parliament (Rajya Sabha) Syed Nasir Hussain were also present.
Congress leader Randeep Surjewala also said the PM will have to come to the House and speak on the issue.
“68 Members of Parliament had given notices for a discussion on Manipur but the government is running away from it. They (govt) want a discussion but one that should not last not more than an hour and the opposition should not speak during it. The PM will have to come to the House and speak on the issue,” Congress Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala said.
Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has sought an appointment from the President of India for a meeting to raise the issue of Manipur.
Mallikarjun Kharge will lead I.N.D.I.A alliance floor leaders and 21 MPs delegation to meet the President of India.
I.N.D.I.A parties floor leaders will meet tomorrow at 10 am in the office of the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha in Parliament tomorrow to chalk out the strategy for the floor of the House.