New Delhi: Opposition members on Friday regretted that President Droupadi Murmu in her address to the joint sitting of Parliament did not mention a word on the continuing violence in Manipur.
Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in the Lok Sabha, Congress member Dean Kuriakose alleged the president gave a political statement glorifying the anti-people policies of the government.
She, Kuriakose said, made “no comments of Manipur” and also on the destruction of churches in different parts of the country.
More than 180 people have been killed and several hundreds injured since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 last year when a tribal solidarity march was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
Kuriakose further said the government’s resolve to generate jobs and double the income of farmers has become a joke.
He demanded that the government extends reservation to Dalit Christians.
DMK member Kalanidhi Veeraswamy claimed the president did not talk about the “horrors” in Manipur as she was not allowed to do so by the government.
Murmu, he said, could have spoken about Manipur giving solace to the people who have suffered a lot during the crisis in the northeastern state.
He also wanted to know why 80 crore people are being provided free ration, if the poverty has declined as claimed by the government.
E T Mohammed Basheer of the IUML accused the government of silencing the opposition voices and following a policy of zero-tolerance towards criticism.
He said India has never witnessed a worst anti-minority government since Independence and urged the Centre to end victimisation of Muslims.
