INDIA bloc memorandum requests President Murmu to press upon PM to urgently address Parliament on Manipur

NEW DELHI: The opposition INDIA bloc, in its memorandum submitted to President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday, has sought her intervention and requested her to press upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “urgently address” Parliament on the prevailing situation in Manipur, followed by a detailed and comprehensive discussion on the matter.
The group of 21 political parties belonging to the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc visited Rashtrapati Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to her on the prevailing situation in strife-torn Manipur.
The memorandum said, “We urgently request your kind intervention to establish peace and harmony in the state without any further delay. Accountability for the devastation of the past 92 days must be determined. Both the Union government and the state government must fulfil their duty to provide justice to the affected communities. We implore you to press upon the prime minister to urgently address Parliament on the prevailing situation in Manipur, followed by a detailed and comprehensive discussion on the matter.”
The memorandum said the President’s “esteemed support and intervention” are crucial in alleviating the suffering of the people of Manipur and restoring normalcy to the state.
The memorandum signed by 21 MPs said the situation in Manipur has reached a critical point in the last few weeks, witnessing a complete breakdown of law and order. The shocking viral video that surfaced online has left the nation in shell shock, and it is evident that the state administration and police have failed to address the matter promptly. The delayed response of over two months to take cognisance and apprehend the accused has compounded the severity of the issue. Subsequently, it has come to light that the said incident is only one of the several cases of atrocities against women, it said.
“As a responsible opposition, a delegation of 21 members of Parliament (MPs) from INDIA parties visited the violence-affected areas in Manipur for two days from July 29,
conveying the message of solidarity with the people of Manipur and assessing the ground reality. The delegation, consisting of 21 experienced and sensitive MPs from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, witnessed the extreme devastation and hardships faced by the people, including women and children, and apprised the country of the grim and concerning situation in the state. The delegation also called upon the honourable governor, Manipur, to apprise her of the ground realities and submitted a memorandum.”
The MPs said the impact of the violence has been devastating, with more than 200 lives lost, over 500 injuries and more than 5,000 houses gutted in arson-related incidents. A
staggering number of over 60,000 people are displaced, living in dìre conditions in
relief camps across the state.
The delegation visited relief camps in three different conflict-affected areas, including Churachandpur, Moirang, and Imphal, where they interacted with the affected people, listened to their concerns, and witnessed firsthand the dire living conditions, especially for women and children. “People in relief camps are facing hardships with low availability of food and relief materials. They are living in a state of permanent fear and insecurity, and are in need of a secure and just rehabilitation to rebuild their lives. The three-month-long internet ban in the state has further escalated distrust between different communities and allowed the spread of misinformation. The prolonged closure of schools and colleges for nearly three months has adversely affected the education and learning of children and youth in Manipur,” it said.
In this context, the memorandum said, since the commencement of the monsoon session of Parliament, INDIA parties have persistently demanded a statement from the prime minister, followed by a detailed and comprehensive discussion on this issue of extreme national importance.
The 21 INDIA parties lamented that despite filing notices under relevant rules, these demands have been consistently rejected in both Houses of Parliament, obstructing any meaningful debate on the matter.
They alleged that the silencing of the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and the intermittent switching off of his mic in Parliament is a “new parliamentary low in our democracy” and is highly concerning.