Speaking on the conclusion of the dialogue that lasted for over one-and-half hours, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated that anybody not keen to debate Manipur is “anti-humanity, anti-peace and anti-India”. “I am laying on the table of the House the letters that I have received from Manipur. I am also going to quote from the letter of our (TMC) delegation, which visited Manipur… Houses have been burned. People are living in camps. Over 350 churches have been burnt. How do we bring back peace to Manipur?” she stated.

“The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) should make a statement on Manipur (in Parliament). It is a matter of shame that the Prime Minister can go on foreign trips, but can’t go to Manipur,” she stated. “Why the Centre is unable to restore peace? It is the policies of the BJP that have led to this situation… If the Prime Minister is unable to restore peace in Manipur, then let us (the opposition alliance INDIA) be allowed to restore peace (in the northeast state),” added Banerjee amid protest by BJP MLAs.

Urging the folks to embrace peace, she stated folks displaced by the three-month ethnic strife are welcome to remain in West Bengal. “They can come here. If we can eat one bread, we will divide it into half and eat together,” the chief minister stated.

Banerjee additionally urged the allies of the Opposition bloc to convey comparable motions of their respective states. “Manipur has been burning for the last few months and the Centre is just watching. I would request the opposition parties to bring similar motions in their respective states,” she stated.

Last week in Congress-ruled Rajasthan, the Assembly handed a decision urging the Central authorities to take steps to include violence in Manipur.

Banerjee additionally hit out on the BJP, which is in energy in Manipur as effectively within the Centre. “I thought it will be a healthy discussion, but unfortunately BJP started to tarnish the image of Bengal. They can not digest that Bengal is progressing. They are only busy with beti jalao.”

As BJP MLAs shouted slogans, the TMC supremo stated, “We are not lizards. We don’t change colours. Amra gheu gheu kori na (We don’t bark). We are the party of Ma-Mati-Manush.” “Don’t worry. India will stay and BJP will become a company,” she stated and warned the BJP that when the opposition alliance INDIA involves energy on the Centre, they are going to examine each case towards the BJP leaders.

Earlier collaborating within the dialogue, BJP leaders argued that violence in Manipur was an “internal matter” of the northeast state and the TMC mustn’t have introduced the movement within the West Bengal Assembly.

BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari stated, “First of all, this is an internal issue of a separate state. Also, the matter is sub-judice as the Supreme Court is hearing the matter. Bringing this motion (in the Assembly) is illegal. The TMC brought this motion only to fulfil its political motivation.”

“Here in West Bengal, Bogtui-like massacre has taken place where women and children were burnt alive. But no discussions on that issue took place in our Assembly,” the BJP chief added.

“The first line of the of resolution is political. Just mentioning India is not enough. Then even the East India Company would have been nationalist… This is against the ethos of federal structure,” Adhikari stated, including he would transfer the courtroom “against this illegal decision to allow a discussion on Manipur in the Assembly”.

Adhikari was referring to the primary few strains of the movement, which learn: “Whereas, the Constitution of India provides that India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States’; whereas, the progress of the Nation is determined by the spirit of mutual co-operation and respect among all sections of population among all the States; whereas, the violent clashes that have been taking place in the State of Manipur for the past three months have severely affected not only the image of the State of Manipur but also of the whole nation; whereas, the said violent clashes between different sections of society have targeted the women of the State of Manipur thereby abusing their basic human rights and giving rise to unimaginable incidents of horror beyond the scope of the description.”

Taking half within the dialogue, BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul stated: “What happened in Manipur is an ethnic fight between two communities. Rape is a byproduct of that. Do not compare this with the Nirbhaya (Delhi gangrape case) incident or Bamongola incident of West Bengal. However, the Manipur chief minister (N Biren Singh) has already said that those who were culprits of this incident will be prosecuted. But here in West Bengal, in case of similar incidents, it was said that these incidents are “small”,” Paul stated.

After the closing speech by the CM, Speaker Biman Banerjee referred to as for a voice vote. Adhikari, nonetheless, demanded a division, which was rejected by the Speaker, following which BJP MLAs walked out of the House and tore copies of the movement.

© The Indian Express (P) Ltd