TMC to raise Manipur unrest economic concerns during winter session of Parliament

    Kolkata, Nov 25 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress will raise the issue of the ongoing unrest in Manipur during the winter session of Parliament, demanding a detailed debate and urgent intervention of the central government while focusing on seeking answers through discussions rather than disruptions.
    The party, however, refused to divulge whether it would participate in the INDIA bloc MPs' protests in Parliament, which focus on allegations involving the Adani Group.
    At its national executive meeting, chaired by party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the TMC decided that its MPs will highlight the broader unrest in Northeast India during the winter session, which began on Monday, emphasising the need for focused attention on restoring peace and stability in the region.
    "We will seek answers from the government on the ongoing unrest in Manipur. We want a debate and want the Centre to intervene. But we want discussions and are not in favour of disruptions," a senior TMC leader said after the meeting.
    More than 250 people have been killed, and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year.
    The violence escalated after three women and three children from the Meitei community went missing from a relief camp in Jiribam district following a gunfight between security forces and suspected Kuki-Zo militants, which resulted in the deaths of 10 insurgents on November 11. The bodies of the six missing individuals were found in the following days.
    State minister Chandrima Bhattacharya did not clarify whether TMC MPs would participate in the INDIA bloc MPs' protests in Parliament, which focus on allegations involving the Adani Group and the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) investigation.
    Floor leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc met on Monday ahead of the start of Parliament's winter session and decided to raise the issue of corruption allegations against the Adani Group and demand a JPC on the matter.
    Party leader Kunal Ghosh, however, stressed that while seeking answers on the Adani issue should be a priority, it should not lead to disruptions in the House.
    "Obviously, raising questions on the Adani issue should be a priority. But just on this issue, not allowing the House to function is not justified. It would help the BJP evade answers on various other burning issues such as Manipur and the withholding of funds from various states, including West Bengal," Ghosh said.
    Notably, the TMC did not send a representative to the INDIA bloc meeting on Monday, chaired by Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, in New Delhi.
    According to party sources, economic issues will also feature prominently in the TMC's parliamentary interventions.
    "The party is set to raise concerns about the rising cost of living, the increase in fertiliser prices, and the suspension of funds for housing schemes and MGNREGA. These issues reflect the neglect of the most vulnerable sections of society and demand immediate redress," a senior party leader said.
    The TMC's comprehensive approach signals its intention to hold the government accountable while steering clear of disruptive tactics in Parliament. Party insiders described this strategy as an effort to focus on constructive dialogue to address critical national and regional challenges.
    The TMC would also raise other issues including the Centre's withholding of MGNREGA and PM Awas funds intended for West Bengal.
    Another key focus of the TMC's agenda is women's safety, with the party expressing dissatisfaction with the delay in implementing the Aparajita Bill, which aims to curb violence against women, despite being passed in the assembly.
    "To demand its immediate enforcement, TMC's women wing will organise marches across all blocks on November 30, from 2 pm to 4 pm, followed by sit-ins on December 1," Bhattacharya said after the party's national executive meeting.
    She also said that after December 10, a 15-member delegation comprising five women MLAs and ten women MPs will meet the President to submit a memorandum urging swift implementation of the law. The party will also send a letter to the Governor in this regard.
    In the backdrop of public outrage over the rape and murder of an on-duty doctor in RG Kar Hospital, the West Bengal Assembly unanimously passed the 'Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) 2024' in September.
    The 'Aparajita Bill' introduces severe penalties for sexual offences, including death penalty for perpetrators whose actions result in the victim's death or leave her in a vegetative state. Those convicted of rape will face life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)