Manipur: ‘Which constitutional right have you not suspended?’ asks Oppn

Opposition members from the TMC and the CPI(M) were as on today, 17 December, alleging that all constitutional rights had been suspended in Manipur and slamming the BJP MPs for not raising the issue during the debate on the Constitution.

Participating in a discussion on the 'Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India', Trinamool Congress' Sushmita Dev said MPs of the ruling party from the north-eastern region should resign, as all rights assured by the Constitution have been curtailed in Manipur.

"Today, I say while we debate on the Constitution, which constitutional right have you not suspended in Manipur? Liberty, expression of speech... everything is being suspended in Manipur!

"I stand here as a member of Parliament representing the North-east, demanding the resignation of every MP from the North-east and every minister who is thumping their desk behind the Leader of the House," Dev said.

She alleged that the BJP is creating different classes of citizens with different rights in Assam.

"There is no equality in the way NRC (National Register of Citizens) has been conducted," Dev said, claiming this government wants not just 'one nation, one election' but "one election, one leader, one religion".

This is not what Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar wanted for this country, she said, adding, "This is a fascist government that is at play."

John Brittas CPI(M) said, "Let the prime minister go to Manipur, discharge his responsibilities as the prime minister of this country. Let his 11-mantra which he gave on the floor of the Lok Sabha... let (the PM) do that".

Brittas alleged that from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to the Election Commission to Parliament and the media, the trust of the people has been dented considerably by the inaction and bias.

Brittas claimed that there was an "undeclared Emergency in this country". He claimed that 'One Nation One Election' is an extension of "one leader, one country, one ideology".

He also demanded that a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) be appointed to probe where Hungarian-American businessman and investor George Soros' money was actually being used.

Dev claimed corporate loans are being waived whereas farmers are reeling from debts.

She claimed that the country's "middle class is the worst impacted by the tax burden" while taxation on corporates keeps reducing because of the policies of this government.

She claimed that the "two most destructive policies" of the central government — namely, the note ban [demonetisation] and the lockdown in the aftermath of Covid-19 — destroyed the informal economy.

Ram Nath Thakur, JD(U) leader and union minister of state for agriculture and farmers welfare, however, said the government strives to implement the principles enshrined in the Constitution.

He congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving Bharat Ratnas to former prime ministers P.V. Narasimha Rao and Charan Singh as well as former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur, a champion of backward empowerment, among others, in 2023, and asked who stopped the Congress party from doing the same.

Edited PTI inputs