New Delhi: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi Wednesday accused the Narendra Modi government of “not using the Army” to restore peace in the northeastern state.
He was participating in the debate on the no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha.
“Lanka was not burnt down by Hanuman. It was burnt because of Ravan’s arrogance. You are pouring kerosene all over the country. You poured kerosene on Manipur and set it on fire,” he said. “Now, you’re trying to do the same in Haryana. You’re burning the entire country,” he added, referring to the communal violence in Nuh last week.
Rahul was the first speaker for the no-confidence motion Wednesday, Day 2 of the debate.
He was scheduled to speak on the motion — moved by the Congress to force a statement by the PM in Parliament on the Manipur situation, as the first speaker from the party Tuesday. His name was sent to the Speaker, but there was a last-minute change and Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi eventually started the debate.
This was Rahul’s first speech in Parliament since his disqualification was revoked Monday, after the Supreme Court ordered a stay on a Gujarat sessions court verdict convicting him in a defamation case.
He lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting the state since ethnic clashes began on 3 May.
He said the Army could manage the violence in Manipur in a day, but the government “was not using the Army”.
“Our PM has not gone to Manipur because, for him, Manipur is not India. Manipur is not alive anymore. You (the government) have finished Manipur. You have divided Manipur in two parts,” said Rahul.
Late Wednesday, Gandhi’s remarks relating to Bharat Mata in Manipur were expunged from House records on the orders of the Chair.
Also Read: SC calls Manipur govt out on ‘absolute breakdown of law & order’, summons DGP
‘Met violence-affected women & children in Manipur’
During his speech, Gandhi narrated stories from his Bharat Jodo Yatra and visit to Manipur.
“If we want to hear the voice of our people, we will have to crush our arrogance,” said Gandhi, while speaking about the yatra.
In Manipur, he added, he met violence-affected women and children in relief camps.
“When I asked one woman what happened with her, she said, ‘My son… my only son… was shot dead in front of my eyes. I lay with his corpse the entire night. Then I felt a fear… I left my home and everything I had…’ She looked around to find a photo to say that that’s all she had.”
Rahul also hit out at the government once again for its alleged links with the Adani conglomerate.
“Ravan used to listen to two people — Meghnad and Kumbhakaran. The PM listens to two people — Amit Shah and Adani,” he said.
Rahul also brandished a poster to make his point about Adani, but he was asked not to use posters by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
Rahul ended his speech with a reference to the Ramayana.
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)
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