Rajnath calls Kharge to end logjam in Parliament, Oppn demands PM�s statement over Manipur

New Delhi, July 24 (IANS) Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has called the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge to end the logjam in parliament but the Congress President has demanded Prime Minister’s statement over Manipur in the parliament to end the logjam.

They said that Rajnath Singh spoke to Kharge last night to discuss the logjam in the Parliament.

“Kharge told Singh that Manipur violence cannot be tolerated and the Prime Minister should make a statement inside the Parliament,” source said.

Earlier in the day, Kharge, while holding a protest near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament demanding for a detailed discussion on Manipur violence had said that Rajnath Singh spoke to him and several other opposition MPs.

“It is shameful that PM Modi spoke outside the parliament. We all opposition parties are demanding from Chairman in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha Speaker that Prime Minister should come inside the House and make statement about what is the actual situation in Manipur,” Kharge said.

He said that the Prime Minister is making a statement outside the House, when Parliament is in session but it is his duty to make a comprehensive statement inside the Parliament on Manipur violence.

The Congress-led Opposition parties have been demanding the statement from the Prime Minister in both Houses of Parliament over Manipur violence.

On Thursday -- the first day of the Parliament’s Monsoon Session -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his ‘pain’ and ‘anger’ over the Manipur incident and said that the gruesome incident with the women in the Northeastern state is very shameful, and can never be forgiven.

”This incident is an insult for the entire nation as it has shamed 140 crore countrymen. The incident which happened with the women in Manipur can never be forgiven. I assure the countrymen that no one will be spared,” he said.

However, he went on to club incidents of violence in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh (both Congress-ruled states) also in his statement.

“The incident might be from Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh or Manipur, the culprit should not go scot-free in any corner of the country,” the Prime Minister said. 

Ethnic clashes erupted in Manipur on May 3 and since then hundreds of people have lost their lives whereas thousands have been forced to take refuge in the relief camps.

A video of May 4 of two women being paraded naked by a mob in Manipur went viral on July 19 leading to widespread condemnation across the country.