Monsoon session: I.N.D.I.A floor leaders to meet in Parliament today

NEW DELHI: Amid continuous disruptions of the proceedings of the Monsoon session, since it began, over the Manipur issue, the floor leaders of Opposition's I.N.D.I.A bloc on Wednesday will hold a meeting in Parliament to chalk out the strategy for the floor of the house.

The floor leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance will meet at 10 am in the office of Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Opposition leaders along with the 21-member delegation, which visited violence-hit Manipur, called on President Droupadi Murmu and handed over a memorandum to her.

Congress national president Kharge, who led a delegation of Opposition leaders to the Rashtrapati Bhavan said they briefed the President on 'atrocities' on women and the state of relief camps in the northeastern state.

At a press briefing after meeting the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Manipur and work towards restoration of peace between all communities, especially the Kukis and Meiteis, inhabiting the state.

He informed further that the President assured that she would consider the demands put forward by the Opposition.

“A 31-member delegation from I.N.D.I.A, including those who visited Manipur recently, met President Murmu and briefed her on the prevailing situation in the state. We submitted a memorandum to the President and briefed her on the atrocities on women, the condition of relief camps or shelters and the overall situation in the state. The key demand that we put forward is that the PM visit Manipur and take steps towards restoration of peace in the state,” Kharge told reporters.

The floor leaders from I.N.D.I.A and the visiting delegation of 21 MPs in Manipur sought the intervention of President Murmu in bringing back normality to the state. The memorandum submitted to the President by the delegation read, "We urgently request your kind intervention to establish peace and harmony in the state without any further delay. Both the Union and state governments must fulfil their duties to provide justice to the affected communities. We implore you to press upon the PM to urgently address the Parliament on the prevailing situation in Manipur, followed by a detailed and comprehensive discussion on the matter."

Kharge informed further that he also briefed the President on the government's unwillingness to discuss the Manipur situation with the President, invoking an incident in the Rajya Sabha where his microphone was switched off after 2 minutes, which he said shows that the government did not want democracy to function. Kharge added that he also raised concerns over the smuggling of sophisticated weapons into Manipur.

“Prime Minister Modi should visit Manipur and talk to the people there. He should bring peace to the state and provide relief to people affected by the violence," Kharge added further.

The Treasury and Opposition have literally been at war over Manipur since the Parliament convened for the Monsoon Session on July 20. The continuing war of words resulted in repeated disruptions and adjournments in both Houses