Express News Service
NEW DELHI/GUWAHATI: The ongoing faceoff in Parliament on the Manipur situation took a turn on Monday after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member Sanjay Singh was suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the rest of the session for repeatedly violating the directive of the Chair.
Demanding the revocation of his selective suspension, the Opposition began a day-and-night sit-in protest at the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex. Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar ordered the suspension after Leader of the House Piyush Goyal moved a motion. It was adopted by the House by voice vote.
Speaking to this newspaper, Rajya Sabha member Sushmita Dev said the allies of INDIA will hold the sit-in protest until the suspension is revoked. “We will sit on a rotational basis. On Monday, I sat from 4-6 pm along with Jairam Ramesh, Derek O’Brien, Sanjay Singh and Manoj Jha among others. At any given point of time, there will be more than 10 MPs,” said Dev, adding his suspension was unwarranted.
“I am surprised that such a harsh measure was taken. I have a feeling that it has to do with the numbers game vis-a-vis the Delhi Ordinance. Sanjay Singh was demanding a statement from the PM on Manipur, which all of us were demanding. There were around 20 MPs in the Well at that time,” said Dev.
Earlier in the day, both Houses of Parliament were adjourned amid din over the Opposition’s demand to hold a discussion on Manipur under Rule 267. Several members moved adjournment motions on the matter in both Houses.
Amid ruckus in the Lok Sabha, Union home minister Amit Shah said that the government is willing to hold discussions on Manipur in Parliament and urged the Opposition to let it happen. “Several members have demanded a discussion on Manipur. It is a very sensitive issue and I am ready for the discussion. I urge the leader of the Opposition to allow the discussion to take place. It is important that the truth comes out,” he said.
In Manipur, the police said they had identified 14 more suspects of the May 4 strip-parade incident involving two women from a viral video even as a large group of women vented its ire outside the residence of Union minister R K Ranjan Singh in Imphal. The police said efforts were being made to trace and arrest all suspects.
Meira Paibis (women torchbearers) staged a protest outside the residence of the Union minister in the Imphal East district demanding he speak in Parliament on the Manipur situation. He was away in Delhi.On June 15, a mob had partially torched the minister’s residence. Later, he publicly admitted that the state government had completely failed to maintain law and order.
A woman protester told journalists that they wanted the minister to raise their grievances in Parliament. “We want the Central leaders to come to Manipur and assess the situation. We appeal to the President and the Governor to help restore peace,” she said.
NEW DELHI/GUWAHATI: The ongoing faceoff in Parliament on the Manipur situation took a turn on Monday after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member Sanjay Singh was suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the rest of the session for repeatedly violating the directive of the Chair.
Demanding the revocation of his selective suspension, the Opposition began a day-and-night sit-in protest at the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex. Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar ordered the suspension after Leader of the House Piyush Goyal moved a motion. It was adopted by the House by voice vote.
Speaking to this newspaper, Rajya Sabha member Sushmita Dev said the allies of INDIA will hold the sit-in protest until the suspension is revoked. “We will sit on a rotational basis. On Monday, I sat from 4-6 pm along with Jairam Ramesh, Derek O’Brien, Sanjay Singh and Manoj Jha among others. At any given point of time, there will be more than 10 MPs,” said Dev, adding his suspension was unwarranted.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
“I am surprised that such a harsh measure was taken. I have a feeling that it has to do with the numbers game vis-a-vis the Delhi Ordinance. Sanjay Singh was demanding a statement from the PM on Manipur, which all of us were demanding. There were around 20 MPs in the Well at that time,” said Dev.
Earlier in the day, both Houses of Parliament were adjourned amid din over the Opposition’s demand to hold a discussion on Manipur under Rule 267. Several members moved adjournment motions on the matter in both Houses.
Amid ruckus in the Lok Sabha, Union home minister Amit Shah said that the government is willing to hold discussions on Manipur in Parliament and urged the Opposition to let it happen. “Several members have demanded a discussion on Manipur. It is a very sensitive issue and I am ready for the discussion. I urge the leader of the Opposition to allow the discussion to take place. It is important that the truth comes out,” he said.
In Manipur, the police said they had identified 14 more suspects of the May 4 strip-parade incident involving two women from a viral video even as a large group of women vented its ire outside the residence of Union minister R K Ranjan Singh in Imphal. The police said efforts were being made to trace and arrest all suspects.
Meira Paibis (women torchbearers) staged a protest outside the residence of the Union minister in the Imphal East district demanding he speak in Parliament on the Manipur situation. He was away in Delhi.
On June 15, a mob had partially torched the minister’s residence. Later, he publicly admitted that the state government had completely failed to maintain law and order.
A woman protester told journalists that they wanted the minister to raise their grievances in Parliament. “We want the Central leaders to come to Manipur and assess the situation. We appeal to the President and the Governor to help restore peace,” she said.
