West Bengal assembly to discuss Manipur violence

Kolkata, Jul 24 (PTI) The West Bengal assembly will discuss the ethnic violence in Manipur during the monsoon session, which began on Monday.

The decision was taken at an ‘all-party’ meeting, which was boycotted by the opposition BJP. Lone ISF MLA Nawsad Siddiqui was also not present in the meeting.

“It has been decided that a discussion will be held in the assembly on the situation in Manipur and the humanitarian crisis that the Northeastern state is facing. The date and under which rule the discussion will be held is yet to be decided,” TMC chief whip Nirmal Ghosh told PTI.

The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has been alleging that the “divisive” policies of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and Manipur led to the ethnic strife in Manipur.

More than 160 people have lost their lives, and several injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

The opposition BJP, which has been boycotting the all-party meetings and meetings of the business advisory committee for the last few sessions, said they would oppose any such discussion on Manipur in the assembly.

The BJP said it wants a discussion on the violence in the panchayat polls in the state that left several people dead.

“The state government is trying to divert attention from its failures. We want discussions on women’s safety in Bengal, and panchayat poll violence in the state,” BJP’s Siliguri MLA Sankar Ghosh said.

The monsoon session is likely to continue for two weeks.