BJP works in darkness, Manipur discussion ended in just 50 mins: Gogoi

The much-anticipated three-hour discussion on Manipur in the Rajya Sabha was abruptly cut short, lasting only 50 minutes, the Upper House's principal Opposition party Congress said on Friday.

On the last day of the Budget session of Parliament, Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi launched a scathing attack on the Modi government, accusing it of stifling debate on the crisis in Manipur.

He pointed out that while three hours had been allotted for the discussion, it was wrapped up in less than an hour. "Manipur could have been discussed during the day yesterday as well, but the BJP prefers to operate in the darkness of the night," Gogoi alleged.

He further accused the ruling BJP of attempting to suppress the truth. "The BJP has spread lies about Manipur. The home minister has failed in his duties, and they tried to cover it up. They scheduled the discussion at 2.30 am and 4.00 am so that no one in Manipur could watch it," he claimed.

The Manipur crisis has been a pressing issue since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki communities, leading to a collapse of constitutional governance. Nearly two years later, the Modi government imposed President’s Rule in the state in January this year.

Former home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla was appointed as the governor of Manipur, and Parliament has approved a statutory resolution endorsing the imposition of President's Rule in the state with the Rajya Sabha granting its approval on Thursday morning.

The ethnic conflict has left over 250 people dead and displaced approximately 67,000. The violence, fuelled by disputes over Scheduled Tribe (ST) status given to Meitei community, and land rights, has led to widespread destruction, including the burning of homes, churches, and offices.

While relief efforts have housed thousands in camps, deep mistrust between the communities remains.

Gogoi, who spearheaded the discussion on the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, delivering a passionate critique of the proposed changes said, “The Opposition's arguments on waqf were logical, passionate, and compelling. The BJP had no counter argument. Despite having the numbers in their favour, they lost the debate. They could not even explain why they had fully supported the Waqf Amendment in 2013,” he asserted.

He added, “Today, the entire country saw how the Congress party and opposition stood firm in defense of the Constitution, India's secular ethos, and the spirit of vasudhaiva kutumbakam in both Houses of Parliament.”

Addressing the media, Gogoi also raised concerns over the 27 per cent tariff imposed on India by the Trump administration, blaming Modi for its economic fallout. “Trump’s tariff has rattled the stock market. Narendra Modi and Amit Shah told people to invest, but today, investors have suffered huge losses. The prime minister, who boasts of a 56-inch chest, runs away from discussions on the foreign ministry's demand for grants. What is he afraid of?” he questioned.

Gogoi also criticised Modi's meeting with Bangladesh’s chief advisor Mohammad Yunus. "Modi had previously written to the Bangladesh government expressing concern about the Hindu minority there. Did he raise this issue during his meeting?" he asked.