New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said he was willing to hold a discussion in Lok Sabha on the situation in Manipur and asked why the Opposition was not ready for it. Speaking briefly in the lower house of Parliament, the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) requested Opposition leaders to allow debate, saying it was ‘important for the truth to come out’ before the country on the Manipur issue.

Both Houses of Parliament witnessed protests and adjournments again on Monday

As soon as the House reassembled at 2.30 pm after three earlier adjournments over the Manipur issue, Amit Shah said leaders from ruling as well as Opposition parties had been wanting to hold a discussion on the Manipur issue. But as the Opposition members continued with their protest demanding a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Speaker Om Birla adjourned the proceedings for the day.

Both Houses of Parliament witnessed protests and adjournments again on Monday as Opposition parties raised slogans and carried placards demanding a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Mod on the violence in Manipur. As the Parliament logjam on Manipur violence persisted, Opposition parties said why the PM is speaking outside the House but not inside.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has accused the government of being insensitive.

“Our demand is that the PM should come to the House and make a statement. We are ready to discuss that statement. You are speaking outside but not inside, this is an insult to Parliament. It is a serious matter,” he said.

Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel said, “The opposition should not make excuses. The PM has already made a statement on Manipur with sensitivity and firmness ahead of the (Monsoon) session. It is wrong that we didn’t start the discussion (on the Manipur issue in Parliament) at all by making an excuse in the name of the PM.”

The Manipur violence rocked the proceedings in both Houses of Parliament on the first two days of the Monsoon session on Thursday and Friday, with the Opposition demanding a statement from the prime minister and a discussion on the situation in the strife-torn northeastern state.