MoS says peace returning in Manipur, Opp demands elections
The Opposition criticised the move, with Congress MP from Inner Manipur, Bimol Akoijam, demanding the state Assembly be dissolved. 'Let's have a fresh mandate and the rule of the people,' he said. SP's Lalji Verma called the extension 'a matter of concern' and TMC's Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar emphasised that President's rule was 'not the final solution of the problem'.
Rai had moved the statutory resolution — it is moved in pursuance of a provision in the Constitution or an Act of Parliament — to extend President's Rule in Manipur for discussion in Lok Sabha. Speaker Om Birla said President's Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13 and the House had approved it on April 2. The approval of the President's Rule by Parliament is valid for six months.
When the Opposition questioned the move, Rai said, 'Peace is being restored there and not a single casualty has happened in the past four months… BJP believes in democracy, so President's Rule is necessary to restore law and order.'
Rai said there was only 'one casualty' in the state in the past eight months. 'Law and order is under control and full efforts are being made to resolve the dispute between both the communities through dialogue and establish a permanent peace,' he said, adding that more than 2,500 weapons, more than 1,900 explosives and over 30,000 ammunition had been recovered during President's Rule.
Rai said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's focus on the Northeast resulted in stability in the region. He said the PM had in the past 10 years visited the Northeast 'more than 78 times' which, he added, had led to its all-round development.
Targeting the Opposition, Rai said: 'I assure, peace is getting restored there. You don't try to spread confusion.'
Earlier, during a discussion on the resolution, Inner Manipur MP Akoijam said: 'Instead of introducing this and extending this almost illegitimate, in some sense morally, President's Rule in Manipur, we should have a fresh mandate in the state… Despite having a brutal majority you are not able to form the government. In collusion with that state government and Union government, you have created this tragedy of Manipur in past two years.'
'Please dissolve that Assembly, let's have a fresh mandate and the rule of the people, will of the state must have a say rather than dictating terms even if it's a small state,' he said.
Samajwadi Party's Lalji Verma said 'it was a matter of concern that peace was not restored in Manipur even after six months of President's Rule'. 'As PM and Home Minister deliver speeches with arrogance, certainly that is the reason we are unable to conduct elections in Manipur… certainly this government is working with the objective of increasing its vote bank. They spread hatred because of which we are not able to conduct elections in a small state…'
he said.
TMC's Dastidar said: 'Prime Minister should have visited (Manipur) and helped in resolving the issue. We want an elected government there.'
Lalmani is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, and is based in New Delhi. He covers politics of the Hindi Heartland, tracking BJP, Samajwadi Party, BSP, RLD and other parties based in UP, Bihar and Uttarakhand. Covered the Lok Sabha elections of 2014, 2019 and 2024; Assembly polls of 2012, 2017 and 2022 in UP along with government affairs in UP and Uttarakhand. ... Read More
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