Correspondent
MANIPUR, 6 July 2023: In a dramatic turn of events, members of the parliamentary standing committee on Home Affairs from the opposition parties staged a walkout during a meeting on Thursday. The reason behind their protest was the denial of their request to discuss the ongoing and critical situation in Manipur, as confirmed by reliable sources. The meeting, originally intended to address prison reforms across various states, took an unexpected turn as tensions rose over the Manipur crisis.
Prominent figures such as Derek O'Brien from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), along with Congress members Digvijaya Singh and Pradip Bhattacharya, expressed their concern about the situation in Manipur during the committee meeting. They submitted letters to committee chairman Brijlal, stressing that, as responsible committee members, they could not turn a blind eye to the grave circumstances in Manipur.
This was not the first time that O'Brien and Singh had approached Brijlal, seeking a dedicated discussion on the Manipur crisis. However, the chairman informed them separately that, due to prior commitments, it was not possible to arrange urgent meetings solely focused on Manipur at the moment. Three meetings on prison reforms had already been scheduled for July, leaving little room for additional discussions.
During the meeting, which was attended by a total of seven members, including the chairman, the opposition members expressed their disappointment and made the decision to stage a walkout. The ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, which has been escalating since May 3, has tragically claimed the lives of approximately 120 individuals and left over 3,000 injured.
The opposition members' walkout serves as a powerful statement, highlighting their dissatisfaction with the committee's decision to overlook the urgent situation in Manipur. As the crisis continues to unfold, concerns about the welfare of the affected population and the need for immediate intervention become increasingly pressing.