Logjam continues on Manipur issue, Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm
Aug 10, 2023
New Delhi [India], August 10 : With a day left for end of monsoon session of Parliament, logjam continues in Rajya Sabha over the opposition’s demand for debate on Manipur situation with the House adjourned till 2 pm amid differences between the treasury benches and opposition members.
The House took up regular business when it met for the day.
As Leader of House Piyush Goyal spoke about Opposition's demand to hold discussion on Manipur issue under Rule 167, there was a verbal spat started between both the treasury benches and the Opposition benches.
Earlier, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said he received 48 notices under Rule 267 and 45 of them demanded comprehensive discussion on Manipur issue.
Rejecting these notices, the Chairman said he has also received notices under Rule 167 for discussion on Manipur and asked Goyal to speak.
Verbal spat started between treasury benches and the opposition members soon after Goyal talked about his meeting four members of the Opposition to resolve the logjam and said it had not been initiated by him.
DMK’s Tiruchi Siva said proposal for discussion under Rule 167 has been made to resolve the impasse with the ruling party making offer for discussion under Rule 176 and opposition seeking debate under Rule 267.
Leader of the House Mallikarjun Kharge also raised the same point and said both the treasury benches and the Opposition had found out a midway solution to hold discussion on Manipur under Rule 167 in a meeting with Leader of the House Piyush Goyal in his chamber. "But, now Goyal is saying something else."
Kharge demanded discussion under Rule 167 and sought presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
As ruling members objected, Kharge hit out at them.
“Pradhan Mantri ke aane se kya hone wala hai, kya parmatma hai woh? Yeh koi bhagwan nahi hai (What will happen if PM Modi comes, is he God. He is not God)” he said.
Kharge’s remarks led a heated arguments and the Chairman adjourned the House till 2 pm
Since the beginning of the Monsoon session both sides are adamant on their stands. The Opposition has been seeking statement of PM Modi as well as a debate under Rule 267 while the government has said it is ready to hold short duration discussion under Rule 176.
