Monsoon Session 2023: Stalemate likely to continue over Manipur, AAP’s Sanjay Singh suspended

Monsoon Session 2023: As both Houses of Parliament were adjourned on Monday due to persistent uproar from the Opposition, demanding a detailed statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Manipur situation, similar scenes are anticipated when the Parliament reconvenes on the 4th day of the ongoing Monsoon Session, on Tuesday.

Notably, the members of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) will convene at the office of Congress national president and the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, to devise a floor management strategy before the Upper House resumes its session. The floor leaders' meeting is scheduled for 10 am.

When proceedings resume in the Rajya Sabha at 11 am on Tuesday, the government is set to table the 36th report on the action taken regarding the observations and recommendations in the 20th report of the Committee on 'Tidal Power Development in India,' which was from the Seventeenth Lok Sabha.

Also Read: LIVE UPDATE: Manipur violence: Opposition MPs engage in night protest outside Parliament

Additionally, a copy (in English and Hindi) of the 22nd report of the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs from the Seventeenth Lok Sabha on 'India’s Neighbourhood First Policy' will also be presented in the Upper House.

The Monsoon Session, which commenced on July 20 with an extensive list of legislative business on the agenda, has seen repeated disruptions due to protests, sloganeering, and chaos from members of the grand Opposition alliance. They have been demanding a statement from PM Modi on the Manipur situation.

On Monday, the Lok Sabha was adjourned until Tuesday after Union Home Minister Amit Shah faced constant disruption and heckling from the Opposition benches, even though he expressed the Centre's readiness for a discussion on Manipur. The Union Home Minister questioned the Opposition's intentions, stating, "On a very sensitive (Manipur viral video) issue, many members have demanded a discussion, and I am ready for the discussion. I do not know why the Opposition doesn't want to allow a discussion."

"I request the Leader of the Opposition (in Lok Sabha) to let a discussion happen. It is very important that the truth comes out before the whole country," he added.

Also Read: Monsoon Session: AAP MP Sanjay Singh suspended from RS for 'violating directions of Chair'

While Shah was speaking, some Opposition members held up placards with the message "INDIA stands with Manipur people." Speaker Om Birla also appealed to the Opposition to let the house function smoothly. However, amidst continuous slogan shouting from the Opposition members, the Speaker adjourned the House till 11 am on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Upper House witnessed stormy scenes as Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh was suspended for the entire session for "repeatedly violating" the Chair's directives. The Chairman initially named Singh for interrupting the proceedings during the Question Hour, which was amid protests by the Opposition over their demand for a statement from the Prime Minister on the Manipur violence and a detailed discussion on the issue.

Following the suspension, the Opposition parties staged a night-long protest on the Parliament premises. Sanjay Singh stated, "We have been sitting here since yesterday. Our only demand is that PM Modi speaks on the Manipur issue. We will keep protesting here, and I still request PM Modi to come to the Parliament and speak up on Manipur."

Amidst the continuous disruptions from the Opposition, Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Monday that no country or system could flourish without discipline or decorum, and when they are compromised, institutions suffer.

He addressed a group of Indian Forest Service probationers at Parliament House and said, "As Chairman of Rajya Sabha, I am working to ensure the temple of democracy, in the largest democracy, has decorum and discipline."

Earlier, Union Minister Rajnath Singh had a telephone conversation with senior Opposition leaders, urging them to ensure the smooth functioning of Parliament and end the logjam caused by their demand for a discussion on the Manipur situation. He reached out to leaders such as the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay.

Also Read: Viral video sparks action: UP Police bust drug trafficking ring in Lucknow