Friction deepens, Parliament session washout looms

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, July 22

The monsoon session of Parliament could well be headed for a washout with friction between the government and the Opposition on the issue of sexual violence against women in Manipur deepening further on Saturday and a reconciliation appearing improbable.

Citing a range of violent crimes against women in Opposition-ruled Rajasthan, West Bengal and Bihar, senior BJP leader and Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said when a parliamentary discussion happened on crimes against women, it would happen on all crimes.

“My request is if the opposition leaders come to Parliament on Monday, they should come ready with the long list of crimes against women in their states. Because when a discussion takes place on crimes against women, it will take place on everything (read crimes in Manipur as well as opposition-ruled states),” Thakur said after flagging the recent stripping and torture of two tribal women in Bengal’s Malda with the state police staying a “mute spectator”.

Listing brutal assaults on women in Rajasthan, Bihar’s Begusarai and Bengal, Thakur asked: “Why are Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the Gandhis silent?” The minister took swipes at Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for her 2022 Uttar Pradesh poll slogan “Ladki hoon lad sakti hoon” and said: “Ladki hoon lad sakti hoon par Rajasthan nahi jaa sakti hoon (why didn’t she visit Rajasthan?).”

Thakur asked why Priyanka didn’t visit Karauli where a Dalit girl was gang-raped, killed, burnt with acid and her body dumped into a well. He also accused the Opposition of running away from a debate in Parliament. “Why is the Opposition afraid of a debate? Why did they waste two days? They are playing politics and this must stop,” said the minister, signalling the hardening of stands on both sides.

While opposition MPs have been giving notices to adjourn Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to discuss Manipur and will continue with the strategy again from Monday, BJP and NDA MPs plan counter notices for discussions on crimes against women in Bengal, Bihar and Rajasthan.

Asked why the rivals sides were quibbling over rules of debate—(the opposition wants a debate under rules that allow commencement of a discussion after adjourning entire business for the day followed by PM’s reply and the government is proposing a short duration discussion with Home Minister’s reply), Thakur said, “Rules are to be decided by the presiding officers. Moreover, whatever the rule, let us at least discuss. If the government is ready for a debate, why is the Opposition running away? On crimes in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Bengal, Manipur, everyone will get an equal opportunity to say their thing.”

The Opposition hit back today saying the government was creating “false equivalence with cases in other states and adopting diversionary tactics to avoid a debate”. “The Prime Minister and his drumbeaters are diverting and deflecting from the enormous tragedy that has overtaken all of Manipur in the past 80 days by creating false equivalence with an issue relating to Rajasthan,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, with the Congress accusing Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani of failing in her duties.

The party posted her picture on Twitter captioning it “failed report card”. Irani hit back saying the Congress scored well on “depravity and wilful ignorance”. “Come and discuss in Parliament if the dynasty permits,” Smriti said amid worsening political bickering, which is likely to continue on Monday when the Parliament resumes.

House strategy

• Opposition MPs to continue moving adjournment notices on Manipur issue in both Houses of Parliament
• BJP-led NDA MPs plan counter-notices to debate crimes against women in West Bengal, Rajasthan and Bihar