GUWAHATI: The Lok Sabha took up a discussion on the Manipur situation in the early hours of Thursday, April 03, after over 14 hours of deliberations during which the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 was passed. The discussion culminated in the adoption of a statutory resolution confirming the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur.
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Following the passage of the Waqf Bill, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla first introduced the resolution regarding Manipur. Opposition members, including DMK’s K Kanimozhi, TMC’s Sayoni Ghosh, and Shiv Sena UBT’s Arvind Sawant, remained in the House and criticised the government for discussing a crucial matter at an unexpected hour. Kanimozhi, in particular, stated that taking up the debate in the early hours of Thursday, despite repeated demands from the opposition, reflected the government’s disregard for the issue.
Shah defended the government's actions, stating that Chief Minister N Biren Singh had resigned and the cabinet had recommended President’s Rule after political parties failed to form a government. He also highlighted that prior to the BJP’s tenure, Manipur faced frequent blockades, averaging 212 days per year. The home minister attributed the recent violence to an adverse interpretation of a high court ruling on reservations, which escalated tensions between ethnic communities. He further mentioned that two separate rounds of talks had been held with the Meitei and Kuki communities, with further discussions planned to restore peace.
In response, the Congress accused the government of pushing through the resolution without adequate debate. Party leader Jairam Ramesh criticised the move, saying that adopting the resolution at 2 AM with limited discussion amounted to "adding insult to injury." Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ramesh questioned why the issue was being rushed through while the prime minister was on an overseas trip.
Shashi Tharoor, representing the Congress in the debate, added that while his party supported the resolution, it called for immediate efforts to restore peace, stability, and inclusivity in the state. The resolution was ultimately adopted by a voice vote.
Shah, while responding to opposition concerns, reiterated that there had been no violence in the last four months. He stated that the central government had acted promptly by deploying forces when tensions first escalated. According to Shah, 260 people have lost their lives since May 2023, with 80 per cent of fatalities occurring in the initial month of violence.
Manipur was placed under President’s Rule on February 13, after the crisis began in 2023, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in response to a high court order.
