New Delhi: The Lok Sabha session was momentarily adjourned for one and a half hours on Wednesday after intense discussions among legislators over the ongoing crisis in Manipur, but it resumed later. When Deputy Leader of the Opposition Gaurav Gogoi expressed concerns over the violence in Manipur during Zero Hour, the commotion broke out.
Gogoi argued that by concentrating on the problem of Hungarian-American businessman George Soros, the ruling BJP was deflecting attention away from the state's unrest. He claimed that the administration was "hiding its failures in Manipur" by using the Soros controversy as a smokescreen.
"The people of Manipur have three questions - when will the Prime Minister visit the state? When will the Home Minister apprise the House regarding a resolution? And why is the government using George Soros to shield its failures?” Gogoi stated, calling on the government to take responsibility for the worsening situation in the state in the northeast.
Along with highlighting the serious effects of the violence on the state, the Jorhat MP said that the illegal timber, drug, and arms trade had increased throughout the upheaval. Schools and colleges were closed, medical facilities were devastated, and regular people were living in constant fear, he said.
“The government is sending paramilitary forces and enforcing AFSPA instead of addressing the cycle of violence. The economy is shattered, extortion is rampant, and basic public services are collapsing,” Gogoi added.
The Congress was retaliated against by Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry, who said that the party was working with foreign forces to cause internal unrest. "The Congress party is responsible for the internal disturbances in the country, and they have a nexus with foreign forces, destabilising the nation," Goyal said.
Noting that past prime ministers had never travelled to states like Manipur in times of crisis, the Union Minister also questioned the Congress' position on northeastern concerns. "When did a Congress Prime Minister ever visit the Northeast to address its problems?" he questioned, justifying the government's response to the crisis.
Gogoi and Goyal got into a furious argument, and several other MPs joined in, adding to the mayhem in the House. In the midst of the commotion, Speaker Sandhya Rai called off the meeting till 2:00 PM.
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