Politics on Manipur shameful, opposition not ready for debate: Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that the opposition was politicizing the Manipur situation, which was "shameful." Speaking during the discussion on the no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha, he said the government was ready for discussion on Manipur, but the opposition isn't letting it happen. Shah said the opposition should have asked for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on Manipur instead.
Why does this story matter?
The opposition moved the no-confidence motion against the government over Manipur violence last month. It was moved to force PM Modi to speak on the ethnic clash in Manipur, which has claimed over 180 lives. Since the violence erupted on May 3, PM Modi has only addressed the issue once, around mid-July, after a video allegedly showing two tribal women being paraded naked surfaced.
Pained by violence in Manipur: Home Minister Shah
Shah highlighted the steps taken by the Centre to handle the Manipur crisis. "We are pained by the violence in Manipur. Nobody agrees with the kind of violence that's taking place in the state," Shah said as he began his statement on Manipur. "Opposition is trying to mislead the country by saying that the government is running away from Manipur debate," he said.
'Opposition not letting debate over Manipur happen '
Shah also slammed the opposition for allegedly disrupting the parliament and not letting the debate over Manipur happen. "The opposition doesn't want me to speak, but they can't silence me," he said. "130 crore people of India have selected us, so they have to listen to us. During the past six years of our government, the need for curfew never rose," he said.
Violence reducing gradually in Manipur: Shah
While detailing the casualties in Manipur, Shah said that violence was reducing gradually and that people should not fan the violence. "107 people were killed (in Manipur) in May. 30 were killed in June, and 15 were killed in July. Out of the 107 people killed in May, 68 people were killed on May 3, 4 and 5," he said.
He praises CM Biren Singh for cooperation
But a rumor spread on April 29 that some refugee places were declared as villages, leading to unrest in the valley, Shah claimed. "This sparked some unrest. We made announcements to clarify the rumor," he said, appealing to every community not to heed such rumors. He praised CM N Biren Singh for his cooperation and said there was no need to replace him.
Government doesn't want to change Manipur's demography: Shah
Lastly, Shah stated that the Centre does not intend to change Manipur's demographics. In reference to the May 4 incident video, which allegedly showed two women paraded naked, Shah questioned why it was released a day before the Parliament Monsoon Session. He claimed that the video's release offended the survivors' dignity. He concluded his speech by urging the House to support Manipur's peace initiatives.
