Congress leader Rahul Gandhi delivered his first speech in Parliament after being reinstated as an MP on Wednesday. Here's what he said
No confidence motion: Several words from Gandhi's speech were later expunged. Congress, late on Wednesday, called it "gross injustice"
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday adopted a resolution appealing for peace in Manipur, with NDA members enthusiastically supporting it in the presence of the opposition. As Home Minister Amit Shah concluded his intervention on the no-confidence motion in the House, he suggested that Speaker Om Birla read out a resolution appealing for peace in Manipur. The suggestion made by Shah, who spoke extensively on the Manipur situation in Lok Sabha, was supported by Deputy Leader of the House and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said first a draft of the resolution should be shared and it should be adopted in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. Birla then read out the resolution which was adopted by the House.
The no confidence motion is one such motion where neither the people nor the House has disbelief in the government, says Union Home Minister Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah gives a detailed response on what led to violence in Manipur and the measures taken by the government to control the situation in the state
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the tribals in ethnic strife-hit Manipur are facing a crisis and there is none to listen to their plight. Banerjee, who is on a three-day administrative tour of Jhargram, held the BJP-led central government for failing to address the situation in the northeastern state and urged people across the world to pray for them. Paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on the anniversary of the Quit India movement, the chief minister said the saffron party should quit the country. "The tribals in Manipur are facing a crisis. There is none to listen to their plight. Dalits are tortured in India and the Centre is unmoved. On Quit India day, we pledge we will make BJP quit India," Banerjee said. Referring to Bengal Governor Dr CV Ananda Bose appointing a non-academic as the vice-chancellor of a university in the state, Banerjee said, "The governor's post is a constitutional one and there are constitutional limitations to it." "We will fight
The Congress on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Twitter when he would act on Manipur, even as it alleged there was a growing "mistrust" between the BJP governments in the state and the Centre. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said Manipur was facing a brakdown of constitutional machinery after the Manipur Police filed an FIR against Assam Rifles. "This is the FIR filed by Manipur Police against Assam Rifles. The accompanying shrill rhetoric from the Manipur CM and those who surround him makes it clear that there's growing mistrust between the BJP government in the State and the BJP government in the Centre? "Is this not breakdown of Constitutional machinery? Is this the double engine governance that Manipur voted for," Ramesh said on Twitter. "When will the Prime Minister act," he said in the post, which carried the details of the FIR filed against Assam Rifles. Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi also said, "Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh is making serious ..
The army on Tuesday said it, along with the Assam Rifles, will continue to remain firm and resolute in carrying out actions to prevent any attempt that could result in furthering violence in strife-torn Manipur. In a statement posted on Twitter, the Army's Spear Corps said there have been fabricated attempts to malign the image of the Assam Rifles, which has been engaged in restoring peace in ethnic violence-hit Manipur. Some inimical elements have made desperate, repeated, and failed attempts to question the role, intent, and integrity of the central security forces, especially Assam Rifles, working relentlessly towards saving lives and restoration of peace in Manipur from May 3 onwards," the statement said. The army said it needs to be understood that due to the complex nature of the situation on the ground in Manipur, occasional differences at the tactical level do occur between various security forces. However, all such misunderstandings at the functional level are immediately
The FIR was filed on August 5 when police alleged that the Assam Rifles blocked police vehicles on the Kwakta Gothol road in Bishnupur
Govt lists achievements; small parties attempt to settle scores with each other
The Indian Youth Congress on Tuesday held a protest against the Centre over several issues, including the violence in Manipur, inflation and unemployment. Scores of Indian Youth Congress leaders and activists gathered at Jantar Mantar for a 'Sansad gherao' protest with posters and raised slogans against the Centre. The protesters were led by the organisation's national president Srinivas BV. Congress leaders, including Pawan Khera, Alka Lamba and Supriya Shrinate, were also present at the protest. "This is a call to save Manipur from the violence that has been unleashed under the nose of the BJP government," the protesters said. Shrinate said the "truth cannot be hidden" for long and added that "Manipur's voice will soon echo in Parliament". More than 160 people have been killed in the ethnic clashes in Manipur since May 3.
Gogoi also said the opposition bloc INDIA was forced to bring the no-confidence motion against the government to break Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'vow of silence' on Manipur
"PM took a 'maun vrat' to not speak in the Parliament, so, we had to bring the No Confidence Motion to break his silence," says Tarun Gogoi
Assam Rifles personnel, based at Moirang Lamkhai checkpoint in Manipur's Bishnupur, where fresh violence erupted last week, have been withdrawn and substituted by the CRPF and the state police, a notification said. The withdrawal of Assam Rifles comes at a time when several groups of women in valley districts launched a demonstration on Monday, demanding the removal of the paramilitary force from the ethnic strife-torn northeastern state. The notification, issued by Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) L Kailun on Monday, said "the checkpoint at Moirang Lamkhai on the Bishnupur to Kangvai Road shall be manned by the civil police and 128 Bn CRPF in place of 9 AR with immediate effect and until further orders". Assam Rifles has been contacted, and a response from the paramilitary force is awaited. Women groups blocked a road at Hodam Leirak and Kwakeithel in Imphal West district and Angom Leikai and Khurai areas in Imphal East on Monday. Meanwhile, the administratio
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday said the opposition bloc INDIA was forced to bring the no-confidence motion against the government to break Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "vow of silence" on Manipur. Initiating the debate on the motion in the Lok Sabha, Gogoi alleged that a government which talks about "one India has created two Manipurs -- one living in hills and the other in the valley". As the lower house took up the motion moved by Gogoi, there were heated exchanges between the opposition and treasury benches after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi wondered why Rahul Gandhi's name as lead speaker was withdrawn last minute. Gogoi's response that should the remarks made by the prime minister in Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's chamber be revealed in the House evoked a sharp retort from Home Minister Amit Shah who said the member cannot make unsubstantiated claims about the PM. Gogoi submitted his motion -- 'This House expresses want of confidence in the council of ...
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said the government is ready for a discussion on the Manipur issue on August 11 and claimed that it was the opposition which was running away from it. August 11 is the last date of the Monsoon session. The discussion on the no-confidence motion will be taken up in the Lok Sabha from August 8 to 10. The motion was moved by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi to force Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak on the contentious Manipur issue. During a debate in the Rajya Sabha on the Delhi services bill, Shah said that he has written to the House chairman that he is ready to debate on the Manipur issue. "I am ready to discuss Manipur on August 11 and we have nothing to hide. You have many things to hide so you all do not want to talk," he said. The home minister said that he is ready to answer all queries of the members as it is his constitutional obligation. Shah said the opposition is seeking discussions under Rule 267, which has a voting provision and is
Former High Court judges and IPS officer appointed to oversee rehabilitation, investigation, and trust restoration
The Supreme Court on Monday commenced hearing on a batch of petitions pertaining to ethnic violence in Manipur, with the state government proposing to set up SITs headed by district SPs to probe cases. Manipur DGP Rajiv Singh also appeared before a bench headed by Chief justice D Y Chandrachud to answer queries on the ethnic violence and steps taken by the administration so far, besides the segregation of cases for the purposes of effective investigation. Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the state government, submitted the report, sought by the apex court on August 1, on issues including the segregation of cases. The government is handling the situation at a very mature level, the attorney general told the bench which also comprised justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra. They said the state government proposed to set up SITs, headed by the superintendent of police, at district level to probe sensitive cases, besides
The Lok Sabha on Monday cleared the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill by a voice vote amid slogan shouting by opposition members over the Manipur issue. Some amendments moved by opposition members were defeated by a voice vote. Moving the bill for consideration and passage, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said opposition members had little concern for issues such as public welfare and the protection of people's personal data, and hence, they were raising slogans. He also urged the House to pass the bill unanimously. The bill seeks to protect the privacy of Indian citizens while proposing a penalty of up to Rs 250 crore on entities for misusing or failing to protect the digital data of individuals. The bill which comes after six years of the Supreme Court declaring "Right to Privacy" as a fundamental right has provisions to curb the misuse of individuals' data by online platforms.
Representatives of an influential tribal group from Manipur will fly to Delhi on Monday to attend a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the prevailing situation in the strife-torn northeastern state, sources said. The delegation of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), a body representing various Zo ethnic groups in Manipur, responded to an invitation extended by Shah. The ITLF leaders reached the Mizoram capital from Churachandpur in Manipur and will fly to Delhi from Lengpui airport near here. Chief Minister Zoramthanga, on his Instagram account, expressed hope that the talks will yield results. He said that the ITLF leaders held a day-long discussion on Saturday and consulted him on whether to respond to the invitation or not. "I suggested they accept the invitation. I told them that it is a good opportunity to have a face-to-face discussion with the Home Minister," Zoramthanga said on his official Instagram handle. After careful consideration, the ITL